On December 21, the 15th Consular Protection Monthly Lecture for the year 2021 was held via video link. More than 400 employees from China State Construction Engineering Corporation (CSCEC) working in over 10 countries and regions attended the lecture to learn about consular protection and acquire skills in preventing risks abroad.

Tailored Services for Employees Working Abroad

As a centrally administered state-owned enterprise based in Beijing, China State Construction Engineering Corporation was among the first Chinese companies to go abroad. Currently, almost 10,000 engineering and technical professionals from the company are working overseas. It has undertaken over 7,000 projects in more than 130 countries and regions. Prior to the lecture, the Foreign Affairs Office of the People's Government of Beijing Municipality surveyed the employees and prepared a customized lecture and relevant activities according to the characteristics of the company. The lecture focused on common issues concerning consular protection, overseas laws, regulations and customs, tips for staying safe abroad as well as emergency response. These can help enhance the employees' ability to forestall risks they may encounter overseas.

Experiential Learning to Improve Practical Ability

To raise the employees' safety awareness and impart basic self-protection and self-rescue techniques to them, Beijing Foreign Affairs Office invited Ma Qian, a senior security trainer. He combined the lecture with hands-on demonstrations, offering experiential learning activities. In particular, by playing videos of real cases, Ma elaborated on different solutions to defusing different types of risks. He also shared skills necessary to protect life and property.

Interaction to Jointly Reinforce the Security Defence Line

To provide effective, detailed and efficient consular protection, Beijing Foreign Affairs Office worked to gain a deeper understanding of how CSCEC prevented risks overseas. The office also discussed security programs, the development of a security system, emergency response plans, among others, with the company. Its useful practices have been added to preventive consular protection lectures as a good example for others to follow.

Li Yongqiang, an employee in Papua New Guinea from China Construction Science and Industry Corporation said, "This lecture provides relevant instructions to deal with problems people may actually encounter overseas, especially when it comes to robbery and police investigations and inquiries. How to respond in these scenarios, explained in such a vivid way, is helpful for those who work in countries with poor public security. Going forward, we will take what we have learned from the seminar to our colleagues to raise their safety awareness and improve their preparedness to address emergencies."

Hu Ming, an employee in Pakistan from China Construction Third Engineering Bureau Co., Ltd, said, "This lecture contains many cases and an analysis of differences between the situation at home and abroad. It refreshed my understanding of overseas risks, which requires alertness and vigilance to address. I will stay informed about the public security in Pakistan and share it with my colleagues."

In 2021, Beijing Foreign Affairs Office organized 15 consular protection lectures for enterprises, schools, communities, etc. More than three million people took part. The lectures are designed to offer tailored services to boost citizens' ability to prevent risks and shore up the "overseas security defence line".