CHINA is planning to allow Malaysian students to return to the country to resume their studies, said Foreign Minister Saifuddin Abdullah.

He said this was among the topics of discussion in the inaugural Malaysia-China committee on post-Covid-19 co-operation, co-chaired by Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi.

According to Saifuddin, priority will be given to final year students and those who need to use laboratory facilities.

“Wang stated that they have a list of countries of students studying in China and he informed me that Malaysia is one of the highest on the list.

“Wang did not say when the (the process of return of) students can start, but from what he told me, they want it to be as soon as possible,” he said today.

Saifuddin said there were about 8,000 Malaysian students studying in China, but they had to return home when Covid-19 began to spread in the country last year.

He said Malaysia is currently still waiting for the Chinese government’s announcement about the conditions and processes of return.

As most of students are privately funded, he said the ministry will work with Malaysian alumni with information.

“Since they have formed a network, so I offer help to facilitate the relationship with Malaysian students who are waiting to return to study in China,” he said.

According to Saifuddin, there are more than 100 Malaysian students who are still in China at this time.

Saifuddin is at the end of an official two-day visit to China. – Bernama, December 4, 2021.