Chinese citizens urged to enhance personal safety precautions following Tasmanian attacks

The official WeChat account of the Chinese Consulate General in Melbourne posted a message on Friday urging Chinese citizens in its area of operations to take extra personal safety precautions.

The message was issued after two recent unprovoked assaults on Chinese tourists and students by local minors in Hobart, the capital of Australia's Tasmania state. In one incident on Tuesday, a Chinese student was severely beaten in an attack by a group of minors in a shopping center in downtown Hobart. While the victim was hospitalized with serious injuries, their condition is no longer considered life-threatening.

In the message, the Consulate General in Melbourne stated that it has attached great importance to the incidents and immediately contacted the assaulted student and their relatives to inquire about their welfare as well as extending sympathy.

The consulate urged the Tasmanian government and the Australian authorities to take concrete measures, including making every effort to treat the injured student, investigate the situation thoroughly, punish the perpetrators severely, effectively safeguard the personal safety of Chinese citizens, and prevent the recurrence of similar incidents.

The consulate reminded Chinese citizens in Melbourne, Tasmania and surrounding areas to follow local news developments, stay aware of the security situation, minimize nighttime outings, enhance personal safety awareness, and strengthen self-protection capabilities.

It advised any Chinese citizens faced with verbal harassment or threatened with physical violence by strangers to avoid direct confrontation if possible, leave the scene quickly, and promptly call for police assistance on "000", the Australian emergency hotline.