A European and an African student at Beijing Normal University (BNU) Zhuhai Campus say their stays in China during the winter vacation were safe about and that local anti-epidemic measures have deepened their understanding of China.

Italian Elisa (surname not available) has followed the university's instructions regarding personal protection and quarantine. During the outbreak, she takes online lessons, practices calligraphy, reads books, and keeps in close contact with her family via the internet.

Elisa said that China has taken appropriate measures for prevention and control, and that Zhuhai has done a good job. The improving epidemic situation in China gives hope to Italy and other countries fighting against COVID-19, she added.

Elisa studies online at Beijing Normal University Zhuhai Campus during the COVID-19 outbreak [Photo by Zhang Weining / Zhuhai Daily]

Stephen (surname not available) from Tanzania in East Africa said that China has applied the power of technology well for epidemic prevention and control; for example in using QR codes and big data to trace patients and their close contacts. The 29-year-old, who previously worked at a network communications company, hopes to bring advanced technology and experience back to his home country.

Both Elisa and Stephen study in the BNU Belt & Road School, which was founded at the Zhuhai Campus in 2018 and enrolled its first 27 foreign students in 2019. Seven of the 19 MBA and eight MPA candidates remained in China during winter vacation.

The university has adopted classified management of stay-overs and returned students, provided nucleic acid tests and monitored their health. While the students are away, online lessons are scheduled at night to account for time differences, according to Guo Kanjun, director of the BNU International Cooperation Office.

On the city level, Zhuhai has treated Chinese citizens and foreign nationals equally in epidemic prevention and control. In addition to 24-hour multilingual hotlines, the city has issued epidemic updates, anti-epidemic information, and exit-entry public notices via official websites and WeChat platforms.

The Zhuhai Foreign Affairs Office has also compiled manuals on preventing COVID-19 cases from arriving from abroad and has kept in close contact to offer timely assistance to schools and enterprises at which foreigners study or work.