As the largest international student group in U.S. higher education, Chinese international students have been made particularly vulnerable due to the resurgence of anti-Asian racism and U.S.-China geopolitical tensions. There is therefore a pressing need to make sense of Chinese international students’ perspectives and experiences around U.S. higher education—and in doing so, to highlight the ever-present educational inequalities rooted in academic capitalism, global unevenness, and institutional racism. This article builds on the results of a critical qualitative research project investigating Chinese international students’ agency, decision-making, and perceptions of race, racism, and power. It aims to unveil global hierarchies and racial inequalities in the field of international education in order to help advance future research and open new paths to practice. Greater critical reflexivity can help enhance the higher education institution’s understanding of and engagement with Chinese international students in today’s highly interconnected but politically polarized society.
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