Return of Chinese students to Australia benefits everyone

Getting Chinese students back to Australia is ‘in the interests of both sides’.

This week federal Education Minister Alan Tudge played down expectations on when international students might return to Australia. He should keep an open mind. With China’s support it is possible to develop a model to enable students to come back. This would be a welcome circuit-breaker when the Australia-China relationship is at a low point.

Nearly 65,000 Chinese international students are stuck overseas. Many have shown great commitment by continuing their studies online, but it is taking a toll. With no easing of border restrictions, new enrolments are in free fall and universities face job losses.

Australia and China can and should work together to enable Chinese students to return. This issue is not intrinsically contentious and it invests in the future of the relationship — in youth.

A model for bringing Chinese students back to Australia could include some combination of pre-departure vaccination, quarantine, testing, chartered flights and self-isolation in Australia.

If evidence of vaccine efficacy is sufficient, it could be enough for China to provide vaccinations so students could enter with proof of vaccination and negative test results. If additional safeguards are needed, students could complete pre-departure quarantine in China and/or a further period of self-isolation in Australia.

Getting Chinese students back to Australia is in the interests of both sides. We benefit from students returning, both in higher education and in the flow-on economic benefits from housing, food and services. Before COVID-19, higher education contributed $37.5bn to the economy.

China would benefit from a feel-good story focused on ordinary Chinese and people-to-people engagement. It would show China is willing to allow some thaw in the relationship, which may be important in dealing with the US. There are sticking points that need to be managed. China will need to go back on its advice to reconsider studying in Australia because of racist incidents. We can help China do this by announcing a program to combat racism and promote students’ safety.

On its side, Australia will need to show flexibility in its quarantine model. The Singapore quarantine hub plan shows the government is more open to new options. It just needs to apply the same thinking to getting students back.

There is the question of cost, which would be substantial. This would need to be shared among those that benefit: students, universities, state and territory governments, the federal government and the Chinese government. Details such as capacity, timing and priority groups can be hammered out in negotiations. There’s no need to get every jurisdiction on board; it is likely that some such as the ACT and South Australia would be early movers.

Importantly, direct Canberra-Beijing negotiations would not be needed, at least initially, thereby avoiding loss of face. From the Chinese side, discussions could be co-ordinated by the embassy in Canberra. In Australia, other actors could take the lead, including vice-chancellors, state and territory governments and accommodation providers. Once an acceptable model is worked up, this can then be endorsed by the commonwealth.

Working with China on returning students does not compromise Australia’s interests. It is a win-win proposition with most of the benefits falling on Australia’s side. With indications that China would be willing to work on bringing students back, our government would be self-destructive to pass up this opportunity.

Melissa Conley Tyler is research fellow at the Asia Institute, University of Melbourne. Co-author Allan Behm is director, international and security affairs, at The Australia Institute, Canberra. This is an edited extract from a discussion paper released by The Australia Institute.