SINGAPORE: As global superpowers lock horns in a deepening US-China trade rivalry, the battleground has expanded far beyond trade routes and tech giants - reaching into university campuses.

Visa crackdowns, rising anti-China rhetoric, and the looming threat of sudden policy shifts have prompted many Chinese families to rethink higher education plans. Previously drawn to top-tier institutions in the US and UK, a growing number of students are now seeking alternatives that feel safer, more stable - and closer to home.

Southeast Asia, once seen as a backup, is quietly emerging as a new academic haven.

Wuhan native Qian Yaru is among the students who have made that pivot.

After earning her master’s in financial mathematics from the London School of Economics and Political Science and receiving offers from top-tier institutions in the US and UK, the 30-year-old ultimately chose Singapore to pursue her PhD in finance.

“Singapore is a very safe city - especially for females,” said Qian, now on full scholarship at Singapore Management University (SMU). “The main reason I came here was because of the political uncertainty elsewhere,” she added.

“With Trump’s new policies, you never know what’s going to come one or two years down the line.”

The growing presence of Chinese students on regional campuses is subtly softening China’s image - turning abstract geopolitics into real friendships.

Meanwhile, more Southeast Asian st...