Prince Xuan and his parents at the East Lake in Wuhan. (Photo by the Aussies)
Chinese students staying in Wuhan urged Scott Morrison`s government to back its proposal to allow them to travel on charter flights to Christmas Island at their own expense.
The anxious students even offered to pay for their 14-day isolation on the island, though they admittedly didn`t know how expensive the trip was.
"We can`t wait to get back to beautiful Australia," wrote Prince Wang, who has just graduated from the University of Sydney, the night before Morrison`s National Security Council meets to discuss the implementation of the new coronavirus travel ban.
According to the initial response from Australia`s government, the students were not optimistic. Many of them pay a fee of $25,000 a semester for studying in Australia, plus living expenses in the inner city.
"There are no further plans for Australia to assist in the departure," Ministry of Foreign Affairs speaker said earlier.
The Aussies found the proposal on a Chinese website on Thursday. Mr. Payne received requests from students on Wednesday. The petition, titled "request for help for students in wuhan ", has the names of more than 500 students. They have been stranded in Wuhan, home to 11 million people, more than four weeks ago after the new epidemic centre.
University sources estimate that more than 2000 australian citizens, permanent residents and chinese students attending australian colleges and universities remain in hubei.
Students trapped in Wuhan made two proposals to Morrison government. "One way, if permitted by Australia`s government, is for students to charter a plane and fly to Christmas Island for 14 days. Students will pay for air tickets and accommodation on Christmas Island, as well as transportation back to Sydney. "Or," they wrote," we urge Australia`s government to consult on our plan to leave Wuhan airport for 14 days in a third country, such as Thailand, and to go through our procedures for returning to Australia. "
Ms wang, who helped co-ordinate the competition, confirmed to the australian newspaper that she had approached a chinese airline. The Department of Aviation said it was willing to hire an aircraft if it received the required approval.
Although she called the plan "no loss to our government," it was unclear what the total cost would be for diplomats, other Australian government and health workers.
Government sources told the aussies that it was not easy to negotiate with china`s government on two flights away from wuhan. It is not clear whether China will approve another flight.
Some of the more than 500 students who signed the petition are said to have paid full tuition and many have already paid exorbitant accommodation in sydney and inner-melbourne, where they are currently vacant.
Other graduates worry that if they don`t get back, they`ll lose their jobs.
Some will have their student visas expired in the next few weeks, which could leave them stranded outside Australia for months and require them to experience in Hubei medical institutions.
Meanwhile,90 families, including more than 200 australian citizens and permanent residents, have submitted another version of the competition to the house of representatives. The signatories called for the same treatment as the other 702 evacuees. The 702 persons included persons returning to Australia on two evacuation flights from Wuhan, as well as evacuees from the Diamond Princess.
Representative Leo Liu told the Aussies they would not give up their efforts to get home early.
