Hong Kong opens its universities to foreign students affected by the US ban.

 

Hong Kong announced that it will open its universities to more international students, particularly those affected by the US government's decision to bar Harvard University from accepting foreign students.

This significant escalation in the confrontation between Republican President Donald Trump and the prestigious university comes amid heightened tensions between Washington and Beijing over trade and other issues.

Trump's decision on Thursday, which was temporarily suspended by a US judge following a Harvard complaint, has plunged thousands of international students into uncertainty.

On Friday, Hong Kong's Secretary for Education Christine Choi called on universities in the Chinese city to welcome "a large number of students from around the world."

"For international students affected by the US student admissions policy, the Education Bureau has appealed to all universities in Hong Kong to adopt facilitating measures for eligible students," she said in a statement.

The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology on Friday invited international students enrolled at Harvard to continue their studies, promising "simplified admission procedures and academic support to facilitate the transition process for those interested."

Harvard is ranked first in the US News & World Report's Best Universities rankings, while the Hong Kong University of Science is ranked 105th out of more than 2,000 top universities.