Australian Universities Targeted by the Chinese Government’s New Scheme

China has been at the receiving end of critics from other nations as it was the land of origination for the Coronavirus. COVID-19 was dealt with poorly, and the attempt to conceal it by China only made things worse. Millions have been affected by the virus across the globe, with thousands dead. Many believe China is to be blamed for this health crisis that has crippled the world.

As countries and their economies start to reopen post-pandemic, governments are seen to change policies. Especially trade relations with China especially seem to be under stress for many countries who have openly criticized it. China is currently among the top two players in the world economy. In some aspects, its importance is more significant than in the USA. China has tried to intimidate its border countries with a military threat. So the communist nation’s latest decision to impose trade restrictions with Australia comes as no shock.

The number of international students from China might fall in Australia and other countries

As universities try to recover from a year of pandemic, they are hit with hard news. The most prominent international universities host a diverse crowd from overseas. These immigrant students contribute billions of dollars to the economy. This revenue flow is crucial as only Australia makes 37.5 billion from its international students. Most importantly, more than one-third of this comes from Chinese students.

After a year of lockdown, countries are hoping to welcome back international students with the vaccination drive in place. However, students from china might not be the first to return. Reports show that the Chinese regime is influencing its students not to study abroad, especially in Australia. This comes as retaliation towards Australia, seen it has for long been at dagger heads with China. These reports have come in from Beijing itself that college recruiters are advised not to push Australian universities.

This is certainly no good news for Australia. With Chinese students gone, the entire international student population will see a sharp drop. Universities will also fail to recover from hardships brought by the pandemic as well as there will be a substantial financial loss. The Chinese students who were to come to Australia shall be redirected to other nations like Canada, the USA, or the UK.

However, the decision to steer away from students from Australia has not been officially announced. But tensions between the two countries have been on the rise since the pandemic. China already imposed heavy duties on Australian exports like beef, wine, and timber. The government has also been accused of spreading false information about Australia. It comes as no surprise as political propaganda is a huge part of China.

Sources say that the Chinese educators and officials ask students not to choose Australia due to Asian racism. They are asked to assess the country while pointing out false shortcomings. Although no such statements have been made publically, anti-Australian sentiments are high in China.

What does Australia have to say about the new Chinese policy?

The Aussies are certainly not happy with China stopping students from studying in Australia. They are also furious about false racism allegations made by the communist nation. Education Minister Alan Tudge has stated that Australia has always been and will be a safe and welcoming place for international students. And he also pointed out the lies spread by China.

Australia is among the top five destinations for higher study, with premier institutions located in Melbourne and Sydney. Australians are non-violent and non-racist, and students can safely study and work here.

Australia is the land of diversity. It is like a mixed dish of various cultures and ethnicities. The immigrant population of Australia is quite large and lives in harmony with the locals. Hence, China’s claim of a racist Australia cannot be further from the truth. The Chinese state-owned global times also reported hate crimes on Chinese students from Australia, creating panic among students.

However, Australia is already seeing a large number of international students applying for the next session. So how the entire scenario plays out is yet to be seen.

China claims Australia to be racist among rising tensions

Considering the disregard for human rights by the Chinese regime, one might think they are in no position to comment on racism. However, China has not hesitated to call Australia a white supremacist power. China is also suspicious of a joint attack from Australia, the USA, UK, Canada, and it’s right-wing allies. They have also accused those nations of being a mafia-style community. The conspiracies by these white supremacist nations will end up hurting billions of Chinese claimed global times.

The English-speaking nations colonized the world and took slaves from Asia and Africa. It is time to end the era of white domination and Europeans being the flag bearers of civilization. Their ideas and agendas have always shaped the history of humanity. They have for long been opposing communist views of China and Russia. Hence the Chinese have always been at the receiving end of discrimination, racism, and violence in their countries. These grave accusations made by China were heard carefully by the whole world.

China is ready to take the lead in 2021. With a thriving economy post-pandemic, Beijing is prepared for a shift of power from the USA. On the other hand, the rest of the world wants to hold China accountable for a pandemic that has killed millions. Due to Beijing’s failed attempt to control the virus, the whole world had to shut down for a year.

Now in the political battle between China and the west, including Australia, international students are left hanging in the middle. The hostility and ever-changing laws maintain an atmosphere of uncertainty.  Also, the trade war is an important aspect to monitor, reflecting the shift of power and alliances between nations.

In the upcoming time, we will see if China succeeds in its agendas or is diplomatically defeated and held accountable.