The Trump administration will begin revoking visas of Chinese students with ties to the Chinese Communist Party or those studying in sensitive academic fields, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced.

Visa criteria will also be revised to increase scrutiny of future applicants from China and Hong Kong. US embassies have been instructed to suspend student visa appointments as expanded social media vetting is implemented, according to BBC.

Last year, around 280,000 Chinese students enrolled in US colleges. Their numbers have dropped due to strained US-China relations and tighter immigration policies.

The administration has already canceled thousands of student visas and halted funding at numerous universities. Many international students are now expressing concern and regret about studying in the United States under these new restrictions, BBC reported.