Washington's impending revocation of visas for select Chinese students, particularly those in strategically vital sectors or with putative affiliations to the CCP, has precipitated a maelstrom of uncertainty for those pursuing academic endeavours within the US, prompting Beijing to lodge a formal démarche decrying the measure as "invidious" and "discriminatory," further exacerbating the already fractious bilateral relationship and incentivising affected students to explore alternative educational avenues, with Hong Kong and other international actors actively positioning themselves as attractive alternatives amidst this geopolitical imbroglio.