Stranded Chinese students confused and angry over Australia’s coronavirus travel ban

China has angrily responded to Australia’s coronavirus travel ban and blasted what it called a “wave of panic, over-reaction and racism”.

China has blasted Australia’s treatment of its students who have been left in limbo by the coronavirus travel ban.

China’s deputy ambassador to Australia, Wang Xining, said Beijing was “not happy” with the decision.

“We hope their rights and interests will be safeguarded, ­including proper extension of visas if the validity is over,” he said. “And also maybe proper compensation for some of the financial losses during this period.”

Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced the travel ban on Saturday, with non-citizens who arrived from or passed through China in the previous 14 days denied entry to Australia.

That led to the ­detention of 74 Chinese students by Border Force personnel at Australian airports on Sunday

The ban was put in place in an effort to stop the spread of the deadly coronavirus, which killed 120 people in one day.

Mr Xining said dozens of people, mostly students, were left “stranded in the airport” in Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne.

“As far as I know, most of them are finally cleared,” he said.

“A few of them were actually already sent back to China, for which we are not pleased about what happened, because they were not alerted about the restrictions.”

He encouraged all Chinese citizens who entered Australia after Saturday to abide by the measures “suggested by the Australian government” including self-isolation.

However, he said the embassy was “very concerned about the interests of the Chinese students” unable to enter Australia in the next 12 days, noting it was “not very technically feasible” to enact a decree the day it was announced.

“We are in touch with the universities and also with the education ministry to sort out a proper solution for these students,” he said.

Chinese state media has also reacted harshly to criticism of China’s response to the outbreak.

“All countries should take appropriate defensive measures in times of uncertainty to protect the health and safety of their citizens, but we should also be careful not to heighten fears around the world, fuelling a wave of panic and over-reaction and a wave of racism and xenophobia,” the People’s Daily said in an editorial.

“Certain US officials see the misfortune as an opportunity to score points against China.”

Chinese state-run Xinhuanet similarly said: “Some countries have inappropriately overreacted, creating and spreading fear.”

Chinese students claim they were held in a hotel room by Border Force officials.

Universities are unclear how many of their Chinese students remain stranded in China.

‘RACIAL TARGETING’

Asian Australian Alliance national convener Erin Chew told the South China Morning Post the ban was an over-reaction from the Government.

“In many ways it feels like it is a form of racial targeting,” she said.

“When previous viruses happened such as mad cow disease or the swine flu, Australia didn’t ban non-citizens from Britain and the US. Nor was the blame placed on the people in (those countries).

“Since the coronavirus outbreak it has been coined that this virus is the fault of Chinese people, not just in mainland China, but really all over the world.”

Chinese students enrolled in university in Australia have been left out of pocket or put in detention and say it is racially targeting them.

University officials told The Australian Chinese students were put in detention when flights from China arrived in Australia on Sunday.

They said their belongings were confiscated and their valid visas cancelled before they were interrogated for hours.

“The government treated the students absolutely disgracefully,” one university official told the newspaper.

Some students who were refused entry were already on their way to Australia when the Prime Minister ­announced the travel ban.

From today all travellers arriving out of mainland China (not just Hubei province) must self-isolate for a period of 14 days from the time they leave mainland China. Latest Australian Health Protection Principal Committee advice here https://t.co/YfhqFWlNcV pic.twitter.com/pO6gnSOGbW

— Australian Government Department of Health (@healthgovau) February 1, 2020

University executives fear the ban will threaten the global reputation of the $39 billion international education ­industry, with more than 250,000 students enrolled from China last year.

Abbey Shi, general secretary of the Students’ Representative Council at the University of Sydney, has been speaking with more than 2000 Chinese students who went home for the Lunar New Year holiday.

“The education sector in Australia is being commercialised and students are being treated like cash cows,” she told the SCMP.

“Universities don’t care about our affected career path, life, tenancy issues, our pets at home.”

Universities Australia Chief Executive Catriona Jackson said they were working closely with the government to resolve the situation as swiftly as possible.

“Our care and concern is with (students), and we hope to welcome them into our university communities very soon,” she said.

Health Minister Greg Hunt this afternoon said Education Minister Dan Tehan had been working directly with the universities to look at alternative arrangements for study.

“The message is very clear,” he said. “We understand, we’re working with you. Ultimately our fundamental task is to protect everybody’s health and safety by following the medical advice. That can be difficult but we’ll continue to work with you on your individual circumstances.”