Rerouting to Asia: Drivers of Chinese Students’ Shift in International Higher Education Destinations Toward East and Southeast Asia

Global uncertainty, amplified by unilateralism and anti-globalization, and the neoliberal transformation, is reshaping international higher education (IHE): traditional Euro-American destinations have imposed stricter policies (e.g., visa constraints), whereas East and Southeast Asia have emerged as key alternative hubs (with China as a regional linchpin). This study examines why Chinese students—the world’s largest group of full-tuition-paying international learners—are increasingly choosing emerging Asian destinations (China’s Hong Kong SAR, China’s Taiwan Province, Japan, South Korea, and Singapore) over conventional Euro-American options. Analyzing 31 semi-structured online interview transcripts (with 30 participants, lasting 40–60 minutes) and supplementary texts (both collected from February to March 2025), we identify the drivers of this shift. Our findings advance current knowledge of Chinese students’ mobility patterns and IHEs’ evolving global landscape.