Fighting, theft and illicit drug use are among the topics covered in a lively promotional video recently released by local authorities that aims to familiarise foreign students with the laws of China and the impact thereof on daily student life.
Produced by the Exit and Entry Administration Department of Nanjing Public Security Bureau, together with its Jiangsu counterpart, the video succeeds admirably in that which it sets out to do, while also recognising the reality of issues such as the use of marijuana and illegal employment as students.
A group of international students in Nanjing make up the cast of the video, that promotes the knowledge, understanding, abiding and use of laws for foreign students, in a way that is easy on the eye, while incorporating specific dialogue plots and fragments of daily life, accompanied by Chinese and English subtitles.
The video can be watched on the Sina news portal via this link.
The video’s launch coincides with an initiative entitled, “Learning Laws to Earn Academic Credit”, that is being piloted in Southeast University, Nanjing University of Aeronautics, and Astronautics and Nanjing University of Science and Technology.
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With the aims of reducing criminal behaviour by international students, improving their awareness of safety precautions and protecting them from the criminal activity of others, students can obtain credits upon passing the corresponding examination with no record of criminal acts during the study period.
The course is being taught by a team of police officers from the Nanjing Public Security Bureau who hopefully make the classes as fun as the video.
Authorities have wisely and very deliberately chosen to put the video’s focus on the areas of Chinese law in which foreign students become most commonly embroiled.
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“Marijuana in particular is considered as a drug in China. Smoking, selling or growing marijuana is illegal in China. Almost all foreigners committing crimes in China will be expelled according to law”, states the policeman host of the video.
Drug-related headlines aside, the video also makes useful clarification of Chinese law in other areas that impact international students, such as the differences between an X1 and X2 student visa.
With the bulk of foreign students being of one western religious denomination or another, the video points out that while China upholds freedom of religious belief, international students are prohibited from preaching and can only hold religious activities at designated locations.
Then there is the student work issue. Eager to not come right out with it that foreign students realistically cannot work on their student visa, the authorities choose to instead call it “work-study” or off-campus internship”.
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“International students who hold a residence permit for study and intend to engage in work-study or off-campus internship should submit relevant approval documents [to the Exit and Entry Administration Authority] issued by their schools or relevant units”.
Also thoughtfully included in the video is a reminder as to the existence of the “S” category of visa, defined as “personal affairs”. Family members wishing to visit foreign students in China can obtain such after the submission of kinship documentation.
While pointing out that in China it is against the law to carry a person on the rear seat of an electric scooter, the video finally makes a point of showing two foreigners (presumably students) doing just that. It all makes for great and informative entertainment.
