Australia¡¯s prime minister, Malcolm Turnbull, has put international education at the centre of his country¡¯s relationship with China, in an apparent move to ease tensions threatening the multibillion-dollar industry.

In a speech to Sydney academics, but evidently also intended for Beijing¡¯s ears, Mr Turnbull described Australian educators as ¡°one of our greatest assets¡±. ¡°I?want to talk about the contribution of international education to our nation [and] region and, in particular, highlight its vital importance to our comprehensive strategic partnership with China,¡± he told a University of New South Wales audience.

¡°Your work demonstrates to our neighbours, in the most practical way, that our commitment to the Indo-Pacific region is firm and abiding. Just as trade deals, economic partnerships [and] security agreements foster community among countries, the connections that you forge build bridges across the seas.¡±

Mr Turnbull¡¯s speech, his first about international education since he became prime minister three years ago, has itself been interpreted as a bridge-building exercise.

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Chinese officials have been cancelling or rebuffing meetings with Australian educators in recent months, in an apparent reflection of Beijing¡¯s displeasure over diplomatic slights including Canberra¡¯s new foreign interference laws and its criticism of China¡¯s military aspirations in the Pacific.

Outbound Chinese students have been urged to consider destinations other than Australia, sparking alarm about a possible downturn. Last year, China¡¯s direct bureaucratic intervention in student flows to South Korea ¨C seen as a retaliatory move over the peninsula¡¯s hosting of a US missile system ¨C triggered a dramatic plunge in foreign enrolments there.

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The audience at the prime minister¡¯s speech on 7?August included ambassadors, a consul general and diplomats from China and Australia, as well as journalists from both countries. Mr Turnbull described a strong personal relationship with China, beginning with his work to establish a mine there in the 1990s.

¡°There are 1.2?million Australians of Chinese heritage, two of whom are my grandchildren,¡± he added. ¡°It¡¯s a very deep relationship, one of great opportunity and potential, and it gets deeper and stronger all the time.¡±

In words apparently designed to address domestic disquiet about international student numbers, including opposition threats to clamp down on visas, Mr Turnbull highlighted education as an export ¡°success¡±.

¡°The impact is felt well beyond the campuses ¨C 130,000 full-time jobs are supported by international education, and the benefits flow right through the economy to retail, tourism, hospitality, healthcare and so much more.

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¡°Australia¡¯s ability to capitalise on the opportunities of this region depends on strong links to the region, and the education sector has the capacity to influence this like few other industries.¡±

Peter Mackey, director of international trade with the NSW Department of Industry, told Times Higher Education that this was an ¡°important message¡± for the Australian community. ¡°It¡¯s almost impossible to put a value on the long-term benefit through those relationships that are built here.¡±

He noted that China was the largest source country for overseas students. ¡°It¡¯s really important that we send a message that we value having those students here.¡±

The Group of Eight universities said that Australia¡¯s international education industry was ¡°about so much more than revenue, as welcome as that?is¡±.

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The group¡¯s chief executive, Vicki Thomson, said that it had been ¡°pleasing¡± to hear the prime minister assert the importance of maintaining a strong working relationship with neighbours including the East Asian giant. ¡°China is obviously an important regional partner, with whom Australia is perfectly capable of working with in a constructive, collaborative way, despite our differences,¡±?she said.

john.ross@timeshighereducation.com