In an effort to make the U.S. economy more competitive, the U.S. government on January 21 unveiled new policies to attract international students majoring in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).

The State Department will allow eligible visiting students in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields to complete up to 36 months of academic training, according to a notice in the Federal Register. In addition, the administration will launch a program to connect international students in these fields with U.S. businesses.

DHS will reportedly add 22 new research areas to a program that includes areas such as cloud computing, data visualization and data science. The program, which allows international students who have graduated from American universities to spend three years of additional training at American companies, is designed to ensure that the United States can attract talent, scientists and researchers from around the world. (CCTV reporter Yin Yue Xu Xiao)