Campus of University of Queensland, Australia. Photo: IC

China's Consulate-General in Brisbane, Australia, on Thursday issued a statement praising Chinese students, including those from the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, at the Australian University of Queensland (UQ) who staged a voluntary patriotic rally in response to two consecutive anti-China and secessionist protests held at the university campus on Wednesday afternoon. 

The statement said the consulate attaches great importance to the safety of overseas Chinese students and firmly opposes any words and deeds intended to split China.

The consulate also vowed online to stand against any instigation of anti-China sentiments or the use of protests to create bad blood between Chinese mainland students and those from Hong Kong.

Dozens of students from the Chinese mainland at the university reached by the Global Times called for a calm and rational response toward the protests and speeches organized by the Australian protester Drew Pavlou.

Two Facebook events "Stand with Hong Kong on UQ Market Day" and "Action for Hong Kong and Xinjiang! Public Event" were organized by Australian national Pavlou and Jack Yiu Chak whose nationality has yet to be confirmed, both students at the university, to coincide with the university's crowded market day. The events turned violent.

According to videos circulating online and Chinese students reached by the Global Times, protesters sitting at the main entrance to campus were spreading rumors about Xinjiang and Hong Kong.

The Anti-China protesters accused the Chinese government of violating human rights and asked the university to close its Confucius Institute, which provoked anger among Chinese onlookers. 

In response to this protest, the patriotic students joined together and sang the Chinese national anthem as the conflict between two sides escalated into a physical clash. The University of Queensland campus security called police to the scene.

No arrests have been made.

 "The university expects staff and students to express their views in a lawful and respectful manner … Earlier today, in response to safety concerns resulting from a student-initiated protest on campus, the university requested police support," the university said in a statement.

"On the advice of police, protesters were requested to move on. The safety of all students is paramount to the university."

Media including US ABC and Australian media outlet 7News rushed to the scene and focused on the violence and claimed that the Chinese counter-protesters were responsible for escalating the protest into a clash. 

But those students reached by the Global Times who requested anonymity said the Western media only interviewed anti-China protesters at the site or cut out their interviews with patriotic Chinese students, presenting an inaccurate and biased view of the events.