Photo: Screenshot from the Chinese Consulate-General in Perth

The Chinese Consulate-General in Perth, Australia, issued a safety alert to Chinese citizens in its jurisdiction on Monday after a series of violent incidents, including multiple shootings and arson attacks, were reported in the city in recent days. Two of the incidents took place in areas with a high concentration of Chinese residents.

The advisory urges Chinese citizens to closely monitor local news and security updates, avoid unnecessary travel at night, remain vigilant on personal safety, and improve self-protection measures. 

Citizens are encouraged to check security systems at homes and businesses, and ensure that surveillance and alarm equipment is functioning properly, according to the consulate.

In the event of an emergency, the consulate advises individuals to stay calm, prioritize personal safety, and contact the police as soon as they are out of danger.

On Friday night, the Chinese Consulate-General in Melbourne also urged Chinese citizens to take enhanced safety precautions after several street attacks occurred in its consular district of Tasmania, the Xinhua News Agency reported. 

The consulate said several unprovoked assaults and attacks on Chinese tourists and students by minors took place recently in Hobart, the capital city of the Australian state of Tasmania, causing serious safety threats to Chinese citizens. 

Also, a Chinese student recently suffered an apparently unprovoked assault by a group of minors in a shopping center in Hobart's city center. The student was later taken to hospital with serious injuries, according to the consulate.

A Chinese national, surnamed Chen, who has worked in Hobart for nearly six years, told the Global Times that she has noticed an increase in teenager crime across Australia in recent years, not just in Hobart, and she now makes a point of going out only with companions, regardless of whether she is in a busy area. 

In the wake of the attack, local Chinese residents have formed a group chat to maintain contact with each other and launched a petition for stronger safety measures and better protection for local residents, Chen added.

Global Times