President Donald Trump has softened his position towards international students, particularly those from India and China.

Trump not only welcomed Chinese students but also encouraged foreign students, particularly those from China and India, to stay in the United States of America (USA) and start businesses after graduation in his recent statements.

He emphasised that international students, particularly those who have completed four-year degrees at US colleges, should not be compelled to leave the country, Financial Express reports.

Chinese students account for around 2,77,000 of the 1.1 million international students enrolled in US universities, trailing only Indians.

At a press briefing, when asked if he is still concerned about national security risks with Chinese students studying in the United States, Trump stated that he has always supported this, and that there are approximately 50,000 Chinese students arriving this year.

"I’ve always been in favour of it. Does it mean that you have to watch people? Yeah, you have to watch students, but you have to watch other people also. So, I’ve always been strongly in favour of it," he said.

He further emphasised their contribution to the US economy, saying, "You have stories where Apple wants to hire somebody, and they can’t hire because they can’t stay. And I’m all for making sure that people like that can go to work for all of our great companies."

In the press conference, Trump further stated that International students spending four years in the USA for their education is a legitimate way to "buy their way" into the country.

Trump stated that he wants foreign students to stay in America after finishing their studies and starting businesses, something he believes is not currently happening.

He added that they return to their countries and start companies, eventually becoming "the richest people in the world."

"This is happening all the time because they’re not allowed to stay. And I’m — I think we’ll probably end up doing something about that,” he said.

The move to ease restrictions on America's second-largest overseas student population came as a surprise, as it had been under investigation since Secretary of State Marco Rubio's May 28 proposal to revoke Chinese student visas.

International students' visas are being cancelled owing to minor infractions and pro-Palestine protests on campuses, along with heightened security vetting procedures and the stoppage of new application appointments.