In the previous 24 hours before April 23, there were 10 new confirmed cases of covid-19 reported in the mainland of China. Six of them were from abroad, according to reports from CDC China, in which case the people have been put into medical treatment directly from the airport at local hospitals. Another four local cases were reported in Heilongjiang and Guangdong provinces. Among the 338 affected cities, now 318 are safe and sound, as all the patients have been cured and left hospitals.
During these days, I have received lots of messages from my colleagues around the world. Taking this opportunity, I would like to express my sincere gratitude for your care for me and my family: Thank you so much!
Will the coronavirus effect Chinese universities’ international recruitment?
My answer to this question is, “effects will be limited, and could hardly last if we present China objectively to students – especially focusing on the encouraging results of counter-measures the Chinese government used to respond to this ongoing epidemic”.
Facing distorted or exaggerated remarks about China in the media, we would like to cite a saying: “The wise man knows he knows nothing, the fool thinks he knows all.”
When applicants ask us coronavirus-related questions, how should we reply? As most of my friends have asked this, I have decided to summarise my observations and to share it with you.
1. The Chinese central and local governments have been updating the confirmed cases of coronavirus and its related districts every 24 hours to the public. And they have been opening the medical treatment solution too.
2. The Chinese government has been providing “free treatment to all coronavirus patients”, Chinese and foreigners alike.*
3. Chinese hospitals are well equipped and they know how to deal with the disease. Now all the countries will take into consideration the medical treatment advice from China and WHO, as Chinese hospitals have cured more than 78,000 patients as far. And Chinese Traditional Medicine,like “lianhuaqingwen”, is proven to be 91% effective for Covid-19 patients with mild symptoms.
4. The Chinese Public Health Emergency System functions effectively during this epidemic. With reports from confirmed patients, it can track almost all the people who might be at risk of being infected, and implement proper quarantine medical observation.
5. The Chinese Ministry of Education has set up a covid-19 Emergency Management Plan on campus.
6. A Chinese coronavirus vaccine is in the clinical test (Phase II) stages.
During the fight against coronavirus, new fields of studies like 5G, AI, Big Data, and UAV have sufficiently helped Chinese medical teams to work beyond the distance and to save lives together. Chinese universities will surely increase their investment in the further development of these fields and programs.
“The tuition fees in China are relatively low compared with European or American institutions”
Chinese universities keep taking international recruitment and international education as a channel for global communication rather than a business.
For this reason, the tuition fees in China are relatively low compared with European or American institutions. And our talented professors and well-equipped schools have the confidence to prepare our students for the future!
Covid-19 indeed creates uncertainty as most countries have closed their borders. For September/October, the autumn entry, we think the border in China will be open.
Welcome to China!
*As China is going to be regarded as a low-risk zone of coronavirus, recently people around the world have been surging into China. On March 14, it was reported that the “ free medical treatment policy for foreigners in China” has been updated to “ free medical treatment for foreigners registered in the Chinese Social Security System”.
All international students in China and foreigners legally working in China are registered in the Chinese Social Security System with their own Social Security Card.
Professor Ying Qi is the director of international admissions at Yinchuan University, China. He is also the senior program advisor of CFP Talent, a French think tank focusing on French-Asian intercultural exchange. His fields of research are international business development and international talent movement.
