China urges U.S. to uphold int'l students' interests

China's Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning has urged the United States to guarantee the lawful and legitimate interests of international students, including those from China.

Mao made the remarks on Wednesday after reports said the U.S. government is ordering U.S. embassies and consular sections to pause scheduling new interviews for student visa applicants.

China has always believed that normal cooperation on education and academic exchanges should not be disrupted, Mao said.