Chinese 'students' use studies as cover
31 October 2006
BRUSSELS – Only a small proportion of the young Chinese nationals granted student visas for Belgium every year actually turn up at the universities.
There is a tendency for them to melt into illegal work, often in Chinese restaurants.
This year 125 Chinese students obtained a student visa after their acceptance at the University of Lige but, says the Dean, Bernard Rentier, “We only met about 20 of them.”
This practice is known to happen in other Belgian universities as well as throughout Europe.
The Minister of Higher Education, Marie-Dominique Simonet, discovered a filtering system designed in Germany during her visit to China.
Belgium plans on signing an agreement of cooperation with the DDAD, the German service running the filtering process, to reduce the entry of Chinese nationals to Belgium territory under false pretences.
Up until now the Chinese authorities have simply checked the validity of the invitations extended (by) Belgian universities but the Chinese government is considering verifying diplomas upon re-entry.
