A dramatic drop in Chinese student enrolment in Philippine universities reflects the impact of tightened visa policies aimed at curbing illegal activities, raising concerns that Manila’s focus on national security could dent its appeal as an academic destination while further straining its relationship with Beijing.
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New figures released by the Bureau of Immigration (BI) last week revealed that only 300 to 400 Chinese students remained in the Philippines, despite the agency issuing 24,189 student visas to foreigners last year, 16,190 of which were for Chinese nationals.
Anthony Cabrera, acting chief for the student visa section at BI, said “the number of foreign students increased after the pandemic because those enrolled in distance-learning courses had to go back to the Philippines to continue their study to graduate”. However, he noted that this large number had also caused security concerns.
Of all the student visas issued last year, 1,516 were granted in Cagayan, a province that hosts new military sites under the Enhanced Defence Cooperation Agreement with the United States.
Authorities feared that some individuals might be exploiting student visas for espionage or other illicit activities, prompting the government in May to tighten visa controls and implement rigorous background checks to prevent potential threats.
Filipino-Chinese businessman Wilson Lee Flores viewed the decline of Chinese students in the country as bad for educational tourism.