Chinese Ambassador to Belgium Cao Zhongming attends the ceremony releasing Safety Guide for Chinese Nationals Visiting Belgium in November 2018. (Photo/Chinese embassy in Belgium)

The growing number of Chinese nationals traveling, working or studying in Europe in recent years has raised demands for better consular protection for them while abroad, Xinhua reported on Dec. 16.

This year, the Chinese Embassy in Belgium has handled more than 300 consular protection cases. New situations and problems require the embassy to improve consular protection and assistance, as well as other services, said Chinese Ambassador to Belgium Cao Zhongming.

Chinese citizens in Belgium can receive assistance from the embassy after a call or a visit, and they can get all necessary information about overseas safety in a single notice. Additionally, the embassy offers a phone service which is available 24 hours a day.

Prevention is the best protection. Chinese embassies and consulates in Europe have heightened their early warning systems and perfected mechanisms to assist Chinese citizens and organizations overseas.

Chinese embassies and consulates in Finland, Italy, and Malta have issued guidebooks and other materials to raise safety awareness for Chinese students and travelers.

Additionally, the offices conduct regular safety patrols in Chinese-invested organizations, around places where Chinese citizens live, remind Chinese enterprises in Europe to build and improve emergency response mechanisms, and increase staff training.

Embassies and consulates in Belgium, Germany, Italy, Poland, and Malta have recruited volunteers for consular protection services. The volunteers are a mixture of overseas Chinese, Chinese students and employees of Chinese enterprises, who are familiar with local conditions.

For example, volunteers in Belgium played an essential role in rescuing and consoling Chinese tourists who were stranded at an airport in Belgium last September.

The Chinese ambassador in Italy has tightened coordination and collaboration with local police, and tourism, healthcare, and port organizations to provide better consular services to overseas Chinese.