Shafaqna Pakistan: China has reportedly slowed efforts to repatriate its nationals residing illegally in the United States, a senior Trump administration official told Reuters, warning that Washington could impose stricter travel restrictions if Beijing does not change course.
The warning comes just days ahead of US President Donald Trump’s planned May 14–15 visit to Beijing, where he is expected to discuss the deportation issue with his counterpart, Xi Jinping.
The visit is seen as significant for Trump, who is seeking trade concessions from China that he can present to voters before the November midterm elections, where polls indicate potential losses for the Republican Party.
Since returning to the White House early last year, Trump has threatened tariffs and sanctions on numerous countries for failing to accept deportees, a central pillar of his campaign for the White House and hard-line immigration policies.
China for years has resisted US requests to take back tens of thousands of its citizens who have overstayed or illegally entered the country.
When Trump took office, China had suggested it was willing to repatriate “confirmed Chinese nationals” following verification. But Beijing has said doing so takes time.
After accepting about 3,000 deportees via charter and commercial flights in early 2025, China has scaled back cooperation in the past six months, the senior US official said. The official spoke on condition of anonymity in order to speak candidly about administration plans.
China “refuses to fully cooperate with the United States to take back its citizens,” the official said, calling it a violation of China’s international obligations and responsibility toward its people.
The official said that if China didn’t increase cooperation on deportations, the United States would consider increased cash bonds accompanying visa applications, as well as denying more visas and blocking more entries at the border.
“Inaction by the Chinese government will jeopardize future travel for law-abiding Chinese citizens,” the official said.
The Chinese embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Previously Beijing has said it opposes illegal migration, and calls it an “international issue that requires cooperation between countries.”
Source: Dunya News
