International Students Campaigning to Return to China

International students are getting desperate to return to China. It has been 11 months since international students are locked up in their native countries due to international borders’ restrictions. 

A Russian student came back from China in January 2020. She is locked in Russia since that month. She has not yet been able to return to China eventually. And there is no guarantee when she can come back to China. 

When the Russian student boarded the flight, she didn’t think that she would be stranded in her home country for so many months. As she returned in a hurry, she couldn’t take too many things with her.

However, after returning home, the Russian student faced a different scenario altogether. The Russian government sealed international borders. On the other hand, the Chinese government also closed its borders. 

Eleven months have passed, and many more to go. The Russian student is clueless about her future. The international student has not yet received any official update from the Russian government or the Chinese government. The year is almost over, but there is no confirmation, however.

The Chinese government is not allowing international students to enter the country

International students are feeling helpless due to the pandemic related border closures. Millions of international students are stranded in various parts of the world due to the pandemic.

International students are feeling frustrated and depressed due to the non-cooperation of Chinese Universities. As it is, you cannot get any information about China online unless the government gives any official update for public knowledge.

The Chinese government has not yet released any information about when international students can return to the universities to finish their studies. International students are feeling helpless with the attitude of the Chinese government. They are feeling uninvited and unwelcome in the country. They are so frustrated that they have started an online campaign on social media. They are writing about their condition on social media to get the attention of the Chinese government.

International students have started the #TakeStudentsBacktoChina campaign

Several international students have applied for masters after completing their graduation in China. Those students are in an awful situation due to the non-cooperation of the Chinese authorities.

International students have started the #TakeStudentsBacktoChina campaign on social media platforms like Instagram and Twitter to evoke a Chinese authorities’ response. Their goal is plain and simple. They want the Chinese government to allow them to enter the country and resume in-person classes like before. 

International students are frustrated and depressed

You cannot blame the international students for taking the issue to the social media platform. They have already paid money. But international students are not getting any facilities right now. What will they possibly do? They need help from the Russian government as well as the Chinese government. 

International students have already sent 100 letters to Vladimir Putin to assist on this issue. 

But they have not yet received any assurance or assistance.

International students are concerned about their careers and education. They are feeling lost during this uncertain time. The feeling of hopelessness is making them depressed. The recipients of the master’s in enterprise management have stopped receiving the monthly stipends. As such, they have to apply for jobs now. Unfortunately, the job market is also not stable right now due to the pandemic. So, it’s not that they are getting jobs quickly. Plus, they have to attend online classes. Hence it is hard to maintain a work-life balance.

China is maintaining an autocratic stance during the pandemic

As per the reports, the mainland China campus has become Covid-free from August 2020. So, they have become extra cautious now. They are not allowing international students from various countries to enter the University campus. Furthermore, they have imposed new restrictions on international borders after Mainland China has become Covid-free.

Online classes are not enough to fulfill the international students’ requirements due to the massive time difference. Some international students have to wake up at 3 a.m. to attend online classes, which is not feasible every day. Some universities have even stopped online courses. 

Some international students are not able to graduate due to pending lab work. International students are fed up with a life like this. They are feeling abandoned. Chinese students have already resumed their in-person classes. So, somewhere down the line, the Chinese Universities are doing a partiality. International students do not want to ruin their careers and life. Several international students have already said that they are not ready to go through another online semester. 

Conclusion

Many countries have opened their doors to international students. The Australian government has started a campaign to welcome a few international students in their country. The Malaysian government has also issued new immigration laws for international students. But China has refused to accept international students. And that is why the campaign on social media is attracting eyeballs fast. It is a sheer challenge for international students to carry on with their remote learning. Many courses need group discussions, internships, fieldwork, group projects, and lab work. International students can’t do these things online. 

International students are feeling isolated and alienated. They are not feeling a part of the Chinese University. They are missing out on interactions with students. Online classes are not much interactive. Students are feeling that they are not getting enough attention. Furthermore, many students cannot attend classes due to poor Internet connectivity. They think that face-to-face courses are practical and convenient.

International students are feeling frustrated with the lack of attention from Chinese universities. They want Chinese universities to come forward and help international students. Several students have stopped receiving stipends. It is becoming difficult for them to survive during this pandemic. They have a substantial doubt if the Chinese universities will open in the short term. The universities are not giving any reply to the questions of the students. But the students have not yet ready to give up hope. They will carry on with their campaign until they succeed.