Universities set to suffer as China instructs students not to come here
The Chinese government has not been returning the phone calls of Trade Minister Simon Birmingham after saying there had been “racist incidents” in Australia during the coronavirus pandemic.
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NSW universities will suffer the most if Chinese students follow the advice of Beijing and end their studies in Australia, ripping $12 billion out of the lucrative international education sector.
Simmering trade tensions have flared up again after China’s Education Bureau warned its students to be cautious about studying in Australia because of “racist incidents” during the coronavirus pandemic.
NSW universities would stand to lose at least $2 billion, as they attract almost 40 per cent of the 212,000 students from China who study in Australia annually.
It has been estimated Chinese students contribute up to $500 million in revenue to the University of Sydney alone.
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Trade and Tourism Minister Simon Birmingham said losing Chinese students would be “a loss to both nations”.
“For the long term, it would do nothing to help further the mutual understanding between our two nations as well,” he said.
Mr Birmingham’s Chinese counterpart has not been returning his calls since trade tensions started to rise in April after Australia called for an international COVID-19 inquiry.
“Australia and China won’t agree on everything and we don’t agree on everything but we want and have a constructive partnership,” Mr Birmingham said.
“We are going to be tied in this region forever and therefore, we’re open to continuing to work through difficult issues.”
Amid growing concern about the Chinese Government’s trade threats, NSW Liberal Senator Concetta Fierravanti-Wells crossed the Senate floor on Wednesday night to support a crossbench motion to have an inquiry into Australia’s relationship with China.
Tasmanian Senator Jacqui Lambie said Ms Fierravanti-Wells was the only Liberal to “show a spine,” calling it “embarrassing” that the “rest of the Libs and ALP couldn’t match it.”
Since Australia started pursuing a review of the coronavirus outbreak, which began in Wuhan, the Chinese Government has threatened several key exports.
In April Chinese Ambassador to Australia Cheng Jingye warned of a consumer boycott of students and tourists visiting Australia, as well as sales of popular agricultural exports like beef and wine.
Less than a month later China slapped an 80 per cent tariff on Australian barley – effectively wiping out $600 million in exports – while an import ban on four beef processors raised fears about future security of more than $2 billion in exports.
The Global Times newspaper, considered a mouthpiece of the Chinese Communist Party, has also warned Australia “must make a real change to its current stance on China, or it will completely lose the benefits of Chinese consumers”.
Chinese tourists – who spend more than $12 billion a year in Australia – have recently been warned to stay away.
In May the Chinese Government told state-owned power plans to purchase domestic coal, prompting concern about Australia’s $14 billion in exports.
Universities Australia chief Catriona Jackson yesterday hit back at China’s accusations of racism, saying a 2018 survey of 80,000 international students found personal safety and security was one of the top reasons they chose to study in Australia.
“In terms of student welfare, Australia is one of the safest places in the world, and Australian universities are committed to making it even safer,” she said.
“Any violent act is taken very seriously and reported to the police.”
Originally published as Universities set to suffer as China instructs students not to come here