FYI American students in China have been able to return to China since Fall 2020. However, their student resident’s permit are not valid for entry. They need another visa type.

Furthermore, certain work visas allow entry into China. I don’t really understand the nuances of this.

Source: I know many US citizens that have come to China in 2020 and 2021.

I am somewhat skeptical of this. There are a lot of stories in the news like this: https://www.universityworldnews.com/...10419161154322

In this regard there isn’t any difference between entry for citizens of US or an African country.

I suppose a school could try to give the paperwork to let someone apply for a new student visa but from what I know most haven’t been doing that and have just told students stuck outside China to take online classes in Fall 20 and Spring 21.

I know someone who entered China in Fall 20 with the purpose to study but they entered on a work visa with a PU letter.

Example https://www.isd.pku.edu.cn/info/1532/2617.htm

I also lack clarity on the nuances, but from what I understand, X (student) and Z (work) visas are now valid for entry only and expire within ~30 days. The good news is that these are much more likely to permit entry than other visa types. After arriving in China, you are expected to convert them to RPs. My RP still works for entry. Others don't seem to, even though they look the same to me. One thing I can say is that once you have a Z based RP, don't let it lapse, even if you have to take a job that isn't a job. On a semi related note, the labor board people raided one of my companies on Friday, inspected work permits, and interviewed foreigners about what their job duties entail.

That's just a summer school program. I think the idea of spending two weeks in quarantine followed by a few more weeks of summer school studying simply doesn't make sense.
I would presume the calculus for a full-time student would be different.

Maybe things have changed during the course of the past 20 years, but my summer school classes were close to useless. However, being able to hang out in China was not (i.e. learned way more Chinese outside of the classroom).

It’s hard to find explicit wording on these programs because their websites are not great but they were all online for Fall 20 and Spring 21 semesters unless you could find your own way into China. Schools are not issuing X1 or X2 visas and Fall 21 is completely up in the air.

https://www.isd.pku.edu.cn/HOME/ADMI...e_Programs.htm

This doesn’t match with my experience. Students can’t get into China at the moment unless they are going to NYU Shanghai or the Duke campus I believe. All Chinese universities are not able to get visas for their international students.

Workers who get the special letters can get visas issued and people with RP’s that are valid for work can get in now. Of course it comes with a 3 or 4 week quarantine/monitoring period which should deter all but the most dedicated sinophile.

As one of the first participants in Duke China, I feel compelled to post the follow pics from our trip.

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...9362156030.jpg
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...69d432de43.jpg
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...25697d5ee0.jpg
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...881f5d9dc3.jpg
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...ac90c2d326.jpg

Wow awesome pics moondog!

Didn't know about these two schools, found a few details:
https://shanghai.nyu.edu/returntocam...duate-students
https://globaled.duke.edu/programs/china
https://dukekunshan.edu.cn/en/fall-2...duate-students

Duke China summer program is still supposed to be virtual, couldn't find info on Fall 20 or Spring 21
Wonder how NYU Shanghai got special permission

One of my friends' kid in US was admitted by dukekunshan earlier but then was admitted by duke and decided to attend duke instead. From what I heard dukekunshan was not going to be virtual.

I don't know about the US but here in Australia they've been issuing X1 visas all throughout the pandemic. It's not the school that issues the visa, but the embassy/consulate. Of course you need to have proof of an actual offer from the university to get the visa.

While schools don't issue visas, they are instrumental in supporting X1s.

People are melting down mentally over a few covid cases in Guangzhou and in Shenzhen near the border of HK. The level of fear, lockdown, and overall attitude about this is pretty troubling for the timeline of the border ever opening again.

Well people are taking the gaokao from the hospital now...

https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202106/1225596.shtml