Ang See slams 'Sinophobia, racism' over Chinese students

Civic leader Teresita Ang See has branded as "dangerous and unfortunate" what she described as the Sinophobia and racism that emerged amid reports on the influx of Chinese students in Cagayan.

- NILLICENT BAUTISTA

"The past days' preoccupation with deliberate fanning of Sinophobia and racism by politicians and media spreading baseless whodunits of 'students as spies' is dangerous and unfortunate," Ang See said at a media forum over the weekend.

"Politicians, opinion makers, our military and police scramble to ride on the issue without checking the facts," she added.

Ang See also called out the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) for saying that there was a "significant number" of Chinese students at St. Paul University in

Tuguegarao without providing context.

She pointed out that St. Paul University is the only education institution authorized by CHED and the Bureau of Immigration to accept foreign students.

She also noted that contrary to circulating reports that there were 4,600 foreign students at St. Paul University, only 486 were enrolled.

"The baseless and deliberate fanning of negative news on 'influx of Chinese students' serves only to exacerbate the ongoing geopolitical tensions arising from our maritime conflict with China," she said.