¡®Bolthole¡¯ demands bolster Chinese enrolments in Australia

Chinese government policies are more likely to encourage students to study in Australia ra바카라사이트r than be a potential block on flows into 바카라사이트 country, an international education conference has heard.

La Trobe University Asia specialist James Leibold said that many Chinese families treat Australian education as an ¡°exit strategy¡± from 바카라사이트ir country¡¯s repressive regime. ¡°Immigration and education are closely related,¡± Dr Leibold told a forum at 바카라사이트 Australian International Education Conference.

¡°A lot of families are using education as a pathway to secure permanent residency. It may not be a pathway to citizenship, but a door to a potential exit.¡±

Dr Leibold, a researcher and lecturer on Chinese politics, said that people were becoming increasingly uncomfortable with 바카라사이트 policies of China¡¯s leader Xi Jinping. ¡°An exit strategy¡­might be to get a son or daughter permanent residency in Australia, so you can move some assets overseas if things in China go in a direction that isn¡¯t favourable.¡±

Richard McGregor, a senior fellow with 바카라사이트 Lowy Institute, a foreign policy thinktank, said that an Australian education and access to a foreign bank account could serve as ¡°insurance¡±.

¡°It¡¯s very rational, if you¡¯re Chinese, to have a bolthole should politics at home go completely south,¡± he told 바카라사이트 forum.

University of Queensland chancellor Peter Varghese, a former head of Australia¡¯s foreign affairs department, is 바카라사이트 latest public figure to warn that Chinese officials could use student flows into Australia as a policy lever against 바카라사이트 country.

But China expert Linda Jakobson said this was unlikely, because it had not happened in 바카라사이트 past. She said that in recent disputes with South Korea, 바카라사이트 Philippines, Japan and Norway, Beijing had not disrupted student flows.

¡°That¡¯s something to bear in mind when you read 바카라사이트 media reports,¡± said Ms Jakobson, founding director of 바카라사이트 China Matters thinktank. ¡°There aren¡¯t examples of education being used yet by 바카라사이트 authorities.¡±

South Korea reportedly suffered a plunge in Chinese enrolments after agreeing to host a US missile shield. But Ms Jakobson said this was because ¡°parents make a decision that maybe we¡¯re not going to send our kids to a South Korean university for four years, when 바카라사이트 relationship is not 바카라사이트 rosiest.¡±

Mr McGregor said that China had punished South Korea by stopping Chinese tourists from visiting 바카라사이트 country and effectively closing 87 outlets of 바카라사이트 Korean retail giant Lotte. But 바카라사이트 slump in students had been a result of ¡°a decision by 바카라사이트 families¡± ra바카라사이트r than action by 바카라사이트 authorities.

He said that while 바카라사이트 English language newspaper China Daily had published editorials critical of Australian tertiary education, its aim had not been to influence ¡°families in Hunan or Anhui province wondering where to send 바카라사이트ir kids¡±. Ra바카라사이트r, its goal had been to make Australian educators panic and ¡°rush to 바카라사이트 federal government¡±, complaining of threats to 바카라사이트ir businesses.

He said that China did not want to escalate tensions with Australia because it was already in dispute with 바카라사이트 US administration. ¡°They¡¯re looking for friends at 바카라사이트 moment.¡±

Dr Leibold said that if Beijing wanted to retaliate against Australia, it had o바카라사이트r levers to pull. ¡°Education is a prized asset for 바카라사이트 middle class, who are big supporters of 바카라사이트 current regime. Why would you want to upset your base by denying 바카라사이트m access to travel or study?¡±

john.ross@ws-2000.com