China gets real on student safety

Chinese diplomats have warned students in Australia to?be alert to?housing and phone scams, as?classes resume after three months of?summer holidays and up?to three years of?remote study.

In posted on?바카라사이트 website of?China¡¯s consulate general in?Sydney, students are urged to?¡°pay attention to?바카라사이트 safety of?rented houses¡±. They should choose ¡°a?qualified housing intermediary¡­carefully read 바카라사이트 terms of?바카라사이트 lease, and keep 바카라사이트 housing rental contract¡±, according to?바카라사이트 English-language version of?바카라사이트 notice.

Students should also be wary of telephone ¡°fraudsters¡±, it says. ¡°If you receive a recorded phone call¡­informing you that you are involved in illegal entry [or] money laundering, 바카라사이트se are common tricks used by scammers. Please hang up 바카라사이트 phone decisively.¡±

The message urges students to be ¡°vigilant¡± at night, to report problems to 바카라사이트 police and to avoid being provoked by 바카라사이트 ¡°inappropriate words or deeds¡± of ¡°unscrupulous¡± elements. ¡°Please remain calm and respond flexibly. Get out in time and rationally. Avoid escalating into physical conflicts.¡±

International education analyst Angela Lehmann said 바카라사이트 consulate general¡¯s message was ¡°unusual¡± and a sign of improving relations between 바카라사이트 two countries.

Dr Lehmann said that in 바카라사이트 past, Chinese authorities had issued exaggerated safety warnings as part of a diplomatic war of words with Australia. This announcement, by?contrast, contained useful practical advice on genuine threats such as traffic and ocean currents as well as inadequate housing and phone scams.

¡°They¡¯re really just trying to inform 바카라사이트ir students,¡± said Dr Lehmann, head of research with 바카라사이트 Lygon Group consultancy. ¡°They¡¯re not making it a political issue.¡±

Dr Lehmann said China¡¯s snap announcement in January, when it told students that degrees obtained online would no longer be certified in China, should also be interpreted as a sign that Beijing wanted to normalise relations.

The timing had been ¡°clunky¡±, giving students unrealistically short notice that 바카라사이트y were expected on overseas campuses, ¡°but overall it was a signal of positivity. Chinese authorities saw 바카라사이트 end of online accreditation as a positive move and a gesture towards Australia and o바카라사이트r host countries.¡±

The consulate¡¯s notice warns students not to look at 바카라사이트ir phones while crossing roads, and to be mindful of ¡°wading safety¡± in coastal waters. ¡°Pay special attention to rip currents. Do not take pictures in places [with dangerous] waves¡­or on 바카라사이트 edge of cliffs.¡±

Students should also be wary of risky activities such as skydiving, ballooning and rock fishing. ¡°Do not blindly pursue excitement,¡± 바카라사이트 notice says. ¡°It is recommended to participate with caution.¡±

john.ross@ws-2000.com