Australian Treasurer: "Australia is a Successful Multicultural Society... Welcoming International Students"

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] Matthias Coleman, Australia's Treasurer, strongly refuted the Chinese government's warning to its students about the dangers of studying in Australia, labeling Australia as a racially discriminatory country. He emphasized that "Australia is an open and transparent multicultural society." Nearly 40% of all international students in Australia are from China, and the Australian government is reportedly concerned that the Chinese government's warning may lead to a mass withdrawal of Chinese students from Australia.

In an interview with CNBC on the 12th, when asked how concerned he was about the Chinese government's warning to its students to beware of racial discrimination, Minister Coleman stressed, "Australia is a very good, open, and friendly country to study in and one of the most successful multicultural societies in the world," adding, "International students are a very important export market for us, and we always welcome them."

According to last year's statistics on international students in Australia, about 750,000 overseas students entered Australia, with more than 37% of them being Chinese students. The tuition fees paid by Chinese students alone amount to 12 billion Australian dollars annually (approximately 9.898 trillion Korean won). If all Chinese students withdraw, the Australian economy is feared to suffer a serious blow. Earlier, on the previous day, Simon Birmingham, Australia's Minister for Trade, Investment and Tourism, also expressed concern, stating, "If the number of Chinese students decreases, the Australian economy and universities will suffer serious damage."

Minister Coleman added, "The relationship between China and Australia is very important, and the two countries have a strategic partnership," and said, "We want that relationship to remain in the best possible form, but if Australia's national interests are threatened, we will not stand by."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.