- China warns its students in the Philippines to stay vigilant amid reported criminal incidents.
- Philippine authorities say overall crime is falling, with fast action against Chinese-linked online gambling and kidnappings.
- Tensions between China and the Philippines, especially over the South China Sea, influence such advisories.
China’s Education Ministry has issued a safety warning for Chinese students in the Philippines, citing a series of criminal incidents targeting them. The advisory, released on Friday, did not provide specific details about the incidents but urged students to be more aware of their personal safety if they choose to study in the country.
The number of Chinese students currently studying in the Philippines is unclear, though recent reports indicate enrolments have dropped to just a few hundred in recent years, according to the Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post.
The warning comes amid tense relations between China and the Philippines over maritime disputes in the South China Sea. China claims nearly the entire area, while the Philippines maintains its own claims. Incidents at sea have included the use of water cannons and other non-lethal measures by Chinese vessels to drive away Philippine fishing boats.
Despite China’s advisory, Philippine officials have sought to reassure the public. Undersecretary Claire Castro of the Presidential Communications Office acknowledged China’s right to issue the advisory but emphasized that the overall crime rate in the Philippines has been falling. “Safety and security in the Philippines, we can say, have been improving as far as we are concerned”, she said.
Authorities have responded quickly to public concerns over crime, particularly crimes linked to Chinese online gambling, which have reportedly declined or been eradicated. Many Chinese suspects involved in criminal activities have also been deported, according to Castro.
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A particularly serious case earlier this year highlighted the risks. In February, a 14-year-old Chinese student in Manila was kidnapped by a Chinese-led gang. The gang killed the student’s driver and cut off the student’s finger in an attempt to force his parents to pay a ransom. Philippine authorities said the family and the gang leader were former operators of profitable online gambling operations.
China has previously issued similar warnings for its students abroad, including in the United States. Analysts note that such advisories often come amid broader political tensions, including China’s dismissal of a UN-backed court ruling that rejected most of its South China Sea claims and its disapproval of close US-Philippine ties.
