Philippine universities defend mainland Chinese students on Taiwan-facing province: ‘blatant racism, Sinophobia’

The remarks came after some lawmakers expressed alarm over the some 4,000 non-local students in the province that also houses military bases accessed by US troops

A lawmaker doubled down on the concerns, as it was ‘normal for [the Philippines] to doubt China’ given its ‘aggressive behaviour in the contested South China Sea’

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Soldiers watch US aircraft at Lal-lo Airport in Cagayan province, northern Philippines. Some Philippine lawmakers expressed alarm over the some 4,000 non-local students in the province that also houses military bases accessed by US troops. Photo: Reuters

Published: 4:35pm, 19 Apr 2024Updated: 5:37pm, 19 Apr 2024

Philippine universities have defended the presence of mainland Chinese students on a province facing Taiwan, saying they brought diversity to the country and that portraying them as a threat to national security “reeked of Sinophobia”.

A group of institutions in Cagayan’s Tuguegarao City, including the Medical Colleges of the Northern Philippines and Saint Paul University Philippines, said casting aspersions on foreign students was “deeply offensive”.

“It is a blatant display of racism and Sinophobia that has no place in our society, especially within the realm of education,” it said in a joint statement on Thursday.

The coalition said the enrolment of international students in Cagayan’s universities and colleges showed their commitment to diversity and inclusivity.

The remarks came after some lawmakers expressed alarm over the presence of more than 4,000 non-local students in the province that is also home to military bases accessed by US troops in the Philippines.

But the varsities rejected that claim, saying Saint Paul University Philippines has 486 foreign graduates while the rest have no overseas students.

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