过去10年，美国大学的中国学生数量一直在增长。但是大学官员开始发现中国学生数量急剧下降。
Several universities have reported drops of 20 percent or more this autumn at the start of a new school term.
几所大学报告称，今年秋季新学期开始时，中国学生数量下降了20%或更多。
To get more international students, some schools are advertising in other countries and working to keep the number of Chinese students they have.
为了吸引更多国际学生，一些学校开始在其它国家投放广告，并努力维持他们现有的中国学生人数。
U.S. colleges and universities need the money paid by students from China and other countries. International students usually pay the whole tuition amount, unlike American students, many of whom ask for financial aid.
美国高校需要中国以及其它国家学生所掏的这笔资金。国际学生通常要支付全额学费，这跟美国学生不同，很多美国学生都申请助学金。
University officials and observers say there are several reasons for the falling numbers of Chinese students. They include trade conflicts and political tensions between China and the United States. There also is increasing competition for college students, visa issues and the growth of China's higher education system.
大学官员和观察人士表示，中国学生人数下降的原因有很多种。其中包括中美之间的贸易冲突和政治紧张局势。同时还包括对大学生的竞争加剧、签证问题以及中国高等教育体系的发展。
At Bentley University in Massachusetts, the number of new Chinese students arriving for graduate level work dropped from 110 last autumn to 70. As a result, Bentley officials are wondering whether all of its graduate programs can survive.
在马萨诸塞州的本特利大学，进入研究所阶段的中国新生人数从去年秋天的110人下降到了70人。因此，本特利大学官员怀疑该校所有研究生课程是否可以维持下去。
"I wouldn't describe it as catastrophically bad," said the university's president, Alison Davis-Blake. She added that the university has tried to get more students from other countries as well as from inside the United States.
该校校长艾莉森·戴维斯-布雷克表示：“我不会称之为灾难性的坏事。”她还说，该大学试图吸引更多来自其它国家以及美国国内的学生。
Large decreases in Chinese students also have been reported this autumn at the University of Vermont, which reported a 23 percent decrease. The University of Nebraska-Lincoln had a 20 percent decrease.
据报道，今年秋天佛蒙特大学的中国学生人数也大幅下降了23%。内布拉斯加大学林肯分校的中国学生人数减少了20%。
China sends more students to study in the United States than any other country. Its 363,000 students represent more than 30 percent of all international students at U.S. universities.
中国赴美学生人数超过了任何其它国家。36.3万名中国赴美学生占到了美国大学国际学生总数的30%以上。
Parents and students in China share concerns with those in other countries about American gun violence as well as immigration issues. In May, the group NAFSA: Association of International Educators identified two main reasons for falling numbers of international students who want to study in the United States: the difficulty of getting a visa, and the social and political environment in the United States.
中国和其它国家的家长和学生一样，对美国的枪支暴力和移民问题感到担忧。今年5月，国际教育工作者协会找出了想到美国留学的国际学生人数下降的两个主要原因：获取签证的难度以及美国的社会和政治环境。
But there are also problems that affect only Chinese students. The Trump administration has accused China of stealing U.S. intellectual property. It is looking very closely at Chinese students who ask for visas to study robotics, flight and high-tech manufacturing.
但是也有些问题只影响中国学生。川普政府指责中国窃取美国知识产权。它开始密切关注申请签证赴美学习机器人技术、航空和高科技制造的中国学生。
In June, China warned students and other visitors to the United States about possible difficulties in getting U.S. visas.
今年6月，中国警示学生以及其它赴美游客要注意获得美国签证可能会遇到的困难。
Xiong Xiong is an electrical engineering student at Beijing Jiaotong University. He said he hopes to study at a U.S. university. But he is worried about the visa process, so he plans to ask to study in Britain.
熊雄（音译）是北京交通大学电气工程专业的学生。他说，他想去读美国大学。但是他担心签证程序，因此他打算申请去英国深造。
"I'm concerned my visa will be affected," he said.
他说：“我担心我的签证会受到影响。”
Brad Farnsworth is vice president for international global engagement at the American Council on Education. He said that his recent travels in China suggest the claims of economic espionage are making some students think they are not welcome.
布拉德·法恩斯沃思是美国教育理事会全球事务副总裁。他说，他最近在中国的旅行表明，经济间谍的说法使得一些学生认为他们不受美国欢迎。
"The concern is a Chinese student...will be met with animosity...about why they are in the United States," he said.
他说：“我们担心中国学生在他们为什么来美国这个问题上会遭遇敌意。”
International students add an estimated $39 billion to the U.S. economy.
据估计，国际学生为美国经济增加了390亿美元。
Normally, over 5,000 Chinese students are in the colleges of engineering and business at the University of Illinois. The university recently took an insurance policy that will pay it $60 million if the money from Chinese students drops by 20 percent.
伊利诺伊大学的工程和商业学院通常有5000多名中国学生。该大学最近买了一份保单，如果来自中国学生的资金减少20%，就会获赔6千万美元。
Lehigh University in Pennsylvania announced this month it has agreed to pay a recruiter to help bring in more students from India. It also has been taking more interest in African countries south of the Sahara Desert, said Lehigh's Cheryl Matherly.
宾夕法尼亚州利哈伊大学本月宣布同意聘请一位招生人员，以帮助吸引更多来自印度的学生。利哈伊大学的谢丽尔·马瑟利表示，该校也在吸引撒哈拉沙漠以南非洲国家的更多兴趣。
Like many other American universities, Lehigh has begun sending employees to Beijing and Shanghai to meet with Chinese students and their parents. The employees want to ease Chinese fears about studying in the U.S. and show that their university wants Chinese students.
像其它许多美国大学一样，利哈伊大学也开始派遣员工到北京和上海与中国学生及家长会面。这些员工希望减轻中国人对赴美学习的恐惧，并表明他们学校想要招收中国学生的态度。
I'm Jonathan Evans.
我是乔纳森·埃文斯。(51VOA.COM原创翻译，禁止转载，违者必究！)