Coronavirus: Chinese students put in detention after arriving in Australia

Uni officials say Border Force personnel overreacted when Chinese students arrived from China on Sunday | WATCH

Chinese students were put in ­detention, their belongings confiscated and valid visas cancelled, according to university officials, who say Border Force personnel overreacted when flights from China arrived in Australia on Sunday.

Senior university executives, who claimed some students were subject to hours of interrogation, said the actions in response to the coronavirus travel ban threat­ened the global reputation of the $39bn international education ­industry.

About 70 Chinese students, enrolled at several universities, were intercepted at Sydney airport and lesser numbers in Melbourne and Brisbane. Some students who were refused entry were already on their way to Australia when Scott Morrison ­announced the travel ban on Saturday afternoon.

On Monday eight Chinese students who were detained in Brisbane on Sunday morning were still under guard in a serviced apartment complex.

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

Late on Monday university peak body Universities Australia condemned the treatment of ­arriving Chinese students by ­Border Force, saying it was unacceptable.

“These reports are very ­disturbing and have been the subject of discussions with government today. We expect swift action to remedy the situation,” UA chief executive Catriona Jackson said.

“At this hugely difficult time, the welfare and safety of all of our students is our top priority. We hope to welcome these students into our communities as soon as possible.”

Acting Immigration Minister Alan Tudge did not respond last night, but it is understood the ­decision to intercept the Chinese students was made at a senior level of Border Force.

Universities fear the Chinese travel ban will be extremely costly for educational institutions, which enrolled more than 250,000 students from China last year.

The chair of the official taskforce convened to deal with the impact of the coronavirus on the international education industry called on the federal government to apologise to the Chinese ­students.

“Where agreed protocols have been breached these students and their families deserve official apologies, any fees and charges waived, and the greatest attention possible given to their ongoing welfare,” said Phil Honeywood, CEO of the International Education Association of Australia.

“Clearly certain officials have interpreted what was supposed to be clear guidelines. On behalf of the taskforce members, we offer our sincere apologies for the stress caused.”

Another senior university executive said that the accounts of the airport treatment of students and their subsequent detention made him “sad and upset”.

“I can only imagine the state these students must be in and how they would feel about the sacrifices their families have made to get an education in a country they believe in.”

UNSW student Echo Hu said his student visa was cancelled by Border Force when he arrived at Sydney airport at 7am. He was ­interviewed for hours then taken under guard with three other Chinese students to a hotel where they were detained.

Mr Hu, 20, said he had left China on a connecting flight via South Korea before the travel ban was announced.

He said he heard of the ban while in transit but “no one could explain to use what had happened in Australia”.

Mr Hu was among a group of students allowed to enter with 30-day visas but told they had to reapply for a student visa.

He was held in detention until late Sunday evening but the last of the group were not released until the early hours of the morning.

The Department of Home Affairs told a meeting of Mr Honeywood’s taskforce on Monday that the Chinese students who had their visas cancelled on Sunday would have them reinstated as soon as possible.

On Monday universities were still unclear how many of their Chinese students remained stranded in China by the travel ban.

Additional reporting: Heidi Han