Foreign students visit Xiaomi Auto Super Factory on June 30, 2025 in Beijing, China. China News Service/Getty Images

A new visa category launched by the Chinese government to attract young science and technology professionals is causing fervent backlash in China, where well-educated young people are already struggling to find work.

The new “K-visa,” launched October 1, has been touted by Chinese officials as a boon for the country’s development – and widely seen as a part of Beijing’s bid to gain an edge in its technology rivalry with the US as President Donald Trump pushes to slash federal funding for research and tightens restrictions on international students and workers.

But many voices across China have made clear they have a different view.

Discussion of the K-visa category h

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