Published: 3:00pm, 18 Jul 2025Updated: 4:02pm, 18 Jul 2025
Beijing has warned Chinese students planning to study in the Philippines of safety risks for Chinese nationals, amid tensions over the South China Sea.
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In a statement on Friday, China’s Ministry of Education urged students to “carefully assess security risks” and “strengthen safety awareness” before heading to the Southeast Asian country.
“Recently, public security in the Philippines has been unstable, with frequent crimes targeting Chinese citizens. The Ministry of Education reminds all students studying abroad to carefully assess security risks when choosing to study in the Philippines and to strengthen safety awareness,” the statement said.
Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian said on Friday that the move reflected Beijing’s “responsible attitude” towards protecting its citizens.
“We urge the Philippine side to take concrete measures to safeguard the safety, dignity, and rights of Chinese students in the country,” Lin said.
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According to the Philippine Bureau of Immigration, only 300 to 400 Chinese students remained in the Philippines last year.