Mubasher: The US State Department on Wednesday affirmed imposing limits on visas for some Chinese nationals.

The decision will be effective starting from 11 June 2018, State Department official said. 

The step comes as part of US President Donald Trump’s quest for combating China's theft of intellectual property.

“The change in the validity of some visas is part of the National Security Strategy to ensure that intellectual property is not transferred to our competitors," the official added.

US consular officers may "limit the validity of visas on a case-by-case basis, as appropriate to the circumstances of each case,” the official added.

In the same vein, Washington has announced that it will impose a 25% tariff on a list of around $50 billion worth of Chinese goods by 15 June.

The Trump administration would implement restrictions on investment and “enhanced export controls” for Chinese individuals and entities in relation to the appropriation of “industrially significant technology,” the White House said in a statement on Tuesday.