BEIJING [CHINA] : Beijing's soft power diplomacy in education is dented in coronavirus pandemic as thousands of young people are waiting to hear if they will be allowed back into the country to continue their studies. This has affected developing countries' foreign students the most, particularly the African students, reported South China Morning Post (SCMP). Beijing had cancelled all visas in March, as it introduced countrywide restrictions to curb the spread of the pandemic, reported SCMP. The aggrieved overseas students also blamed China for back and forth entry policies for foreign arrivals from different countries. Meanwhile, China hailed its stringent entry requirements as the reason for its success in containing the virus, but this has been achieved at the cost of its soft power diplomacy, said Kinling Lo.

Source: Mint December 26, 2020 05:48 UTC