Foreign Student Caught in Dorm, Now Facing Deportation

Source: OT-Team(G), 大河报

On October 28, multiple local netizens in Yichang reported that an international student had climbed into a second-floor female dormitory in the early hours and injured a female student, drawing widespread attention.

On the afternoon of October 29, China Three Gorges University issued a statement: in the early hours of October 26, a male foreign student scaled the wall to enter a female dormitory on campus and committed acts of sexual misconduct against a female student. The public security authorities have since placed him under criminal detention in accordance with the law. The university, following relevant school regulations, has expelled the student.

What measures apply if an international student commits a criminal offense in China?

On the afternoon of October 29, Wang, a lawyer from a Guangdong law firm, told reporters that from a legal perspective, the student's actions constitute multiple violations. Foreign nationals who commit crimes in China are subject to the same laws as Chinese citizens and must bear legal responsibility for their actions.

Wang explained that female dormitories, as private living spaces for students, fall under the legally protected category of "residences." Forcibly entering without permission may constitute a violation of Article 245 of the Criminal Law, which carries a maximum sentence of three years of imprisonment or criminal detention. If the foreign student engaged in sexual misconduct, theft, or other offenses after entering the dormitory, they could face multiple penalties for the crimes committed. For minor cases, such as those causing no actual harm, administrative penalties including detention or fines may be applied in accordance with Article 40 of the Public Security Administration Punishments Law.

"Whether it is a criminal offense or an administrative violation, Chinese law allows for the deportation or expulsion of foreign nationals who break the law. Article 10 of the Public Security Administration Punishments Law stipulates that foreigners who violate public security can be ordered to leave the country within a specified period or be expelled. Article 35 of the Criminal Law states that foreign nationals who commit crimes may be deported either independently or in addition to criminal punishment," Wang said.