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Former U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday that America will admit 600,000 students from China to study in U.S. universities, a possible sign that U.S.-China relations could be thawing after months of increasingly aggressive tariff actions by both sides.

Trump made the comments at the White House before a meeting with South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, but he took time to address questions on his decision to ease the restrictions on Chinese students, who have been used as bargaining chips in the administration’s more hardline immigration policies.

“I hear so many stories that we’re not going to allow their students,” he said. “We’re going to allow their students to come in. It’s very important, 600,000 students. It’s very important. But we’re going to get along with China.”

Trump’s comments come after his administration placed sweeping tariffs and warnings of new restrictions on Beijing. It was the first time Trump signaled that his administration might be willing to open up access to U.S. universities for Chinese students, even if trade negotiations remain gridlocked and tariffs continue to rise.

Washington has taken a series of aggressive economic actions against China over the course of this year, first imposing a blanket 145 percent tariff on all Chinese goods. China responded with a 125 percent tariff on U.S. exports, a move that has stoked fears of a drawn-out economic battle between the world’s two largest economies.

After negotiators in Geneva announced an agreement in May to hold off on future levies, Trump has threatened to roll out new penalties over the past few weeks. He said last week he would consider a 200 percent tariff on Chinese-manufactured magnets, which Trump says Beijing has a near-total monopoly on.

“China, intelligently, went and they sort of took a monopoly on the world’s magnets,” he said. “It’ll probably take us a year to have them.”

Trump on Monday used some of his strongest language against China since the tariff war began, though his comments about Chinese students could indicate that the administration is trying to at least keep some areas of cooperation open, particularly academic exchange.

At the moment, there are about 270,000 Chinese students at U.S. universities. Trump’s proposed 600,000 would more than double that total, creating a new economic boost for schools that depend on tuition and other fees from international students.

Trump’s comments Monday stood in sharp contrast to remarks by a member of his own administration earlier this year. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced in May that the administration would “aggressively revoke” visas for all Chinese visitors who have ties to the Chinese Communist Party and are currently working on research-related projects.

The proposal sparked pushback within higher education and criticism from universities. In June, Trump seemed to walk back that comment, telling reporters that he had “always been in favor” of Chinese students coming to the U.S.

He continued that line of thinking on Monday, saying that he wanted to maintain access to American universities for students from China. When asked if he would be willing to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping later this year, Trump appeared open to the idea.

“I would like to meet him this year,” Trump said. “I think it’s very important, because as you know, we’re taking a lot of money in from China because of the tariffs and the different things. It’s a very important relationship.”

“It’s a much better relationship economically than it was before with Biden,” he added. “But he allowed that. They just took him to the cleaners.”

Trump once again paired that statement with more aggressive comments on the need for tariffs against China, signaling that his administration will likely continue to take an economically hawkish line against Beijing, but is also open to cooperation in other areas.

For U.S. universities, a jump from 270,000 to 600,000 would be a game changer. Chinese students already contribute billions of dollars to the American economy through tuition, housing, and living expenses. That influx of students could reshape enrollment numbers at American schools and provide a financial lifeline for schools that are still trying to recover from the pandemic.

As has been the case with some of the administration’s other visa revocations and policy shifts, the proposal has some contradictions. Students are being used as pawns in the broader economic standoff, with revocations possible for some and expansion for others. The administration is pursuing aggressive tariffs even as it leaves open the possibility of high-level meetings.

It’s unclear whether Trump’s statements on Monday will be enough to actually increase the number of Chinese students at U.S. schools, but for now, his announcement will be closely followed in both Beijing and in American boardrooms.