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On April 2, the State Council Information Office of China held a press conference on the safety of Chinese students studying abroad during the outbreak of Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19).
At the press conference Vice Minister of Education Tian Xuejun said China had put into place many measures to ensure the health and safety of Chinese students studying abroad. Details are as follows:
1. The Ministry of Education (MOE) has prepared a guide on COVID-19 for Chinese students studying abroad, and invited leading Chinese experts, including Dr. Zhang Wenhong, to give lectures on the topic of COVID-19, which have proved to be very popular with the students.
2. Chinese embassies and consulates have mobilized and distributed personal protective equipment, including face masks, to Chinese students abroad. Many students have already received these "health packages" prepared by their nearest embassies or consulates, and distributions will continue.
3. The MOE and Chinese embassies and consulates have constructed a monitoring and reporting system to track the health status of students abroad. Any confirmed or suspected cases will trigger a series of emergency response measures. Based on available data, the number of actual cases and rate of infection among Chinese students abroad are relatively low.
4. Help lines are launched to provide around-the-clock mental health support to overseas students and their parents. The help lines are manned by Chinese higher education institutions.
5. With the help of overseas Chinese student associations, Chinese embassies and consulates opened WeChat groups to facilitate communication with and among students. Chinese embassies and consulates have also called on overseas companies with Chinese investors and overseas Chinese communities to help meet students’ immediate needs.
6. Chinese embassies and consulates are required by the Chinese government to closely monitor virus-related attacks or discrimination against Chinese students. Any reported cases can then be dealt with by Chinese embassies and consulates through diplomatic negotiation with the host countries. MOE bulletins will be regularly dispatched which cover representative cases and offer safety tips to students.
At the press conference Minister Tian also took questions from journalists.
Question 1
China Media Group:
Recently, some higher education institutions in severely affected countries have suspended teaching and closed their campuses, which has disrupted the studies and lives of many Chinese overseas students. In view of this, what measures are being envisaged by the MOE to protect their legal rights?
Tian Xuejun:
As requested by the MOE, Chinese embassies and consulates are keeping close contact with the education authorities and schools in host countries. They are urging relevant schools to make proper arrangements to help the Chinese students organize their studies and their lives. Host countries have been requested to protect the health, safety and other legal rights of Chinese students, and to help them overcome any problems they may face in the course of their daily lives and studies.
Previously, some schools in some countries had been forcing students to move out of campuses, causing great inconvenience to a number of Chinese students. Chinese embassies and consulates immediately negotiated with governments of the host countries in question leading to solutions being found in most cases.
Some Chinese embassies and consulates have organized quarantine centers in areas where large numbers of Chinese students are concentrated. Companies with China-investors and overseas Chinese associations have also been mobilized to help meet the immediate accommodation needs of Chinese students.
Question 2
China Review News (Hong Kong):
How many confirmed cases of COVID-19 are there among overseas Chinese students? When a Chinese student is confirmed to have COVID-19 in a foreign country, what type of assistance can they expect from the Chinese government?
Tian Xuejun:
According to the data reported by Chinese embassies and consulates, there were 36 confirmed cases of COVD-19 among overseas Chinese students as of March 31, 2020. Once confirmed, the relevant Chinese embassy and consulate take emergency response measures, and assist the student accessing medical care. All of the 36 infected students have received timely and proper treatment, and 11 have already been discharged from hospital.
Question 3
China Education Network Television:
During the COVID-19 outbreak, some overseas students have been subject to varying degrees of panic and anxiety. What advice does the MOE have to help protect their mental health?
Tian Xuejun:
The MOE has organized a number of Chinese higher education institutions to provide around-the-clock mental health support overseas students. Local governments in China and Chinese embassies and consulates have launched dedicated help lines for students studying abroad and their parents. Many Chinese ambassadors and consuls-general have written open letters to overseas Chinese, and communicate with overseas students through lectures or online discussions.