Chinese Foreign Ministry said on Thursday its advisories warning students and travelers about risks they could face in Australia are based on facts and called on Canberra to take measures to safeguard Chinese citizens' safety in the country.

Earlier, China's Ministry of Education issued an alert saying students should reconsider studying in Australia, citing risks of the COVID-19 pandemic and discrimination against Asian people there.

The alert issued on Tuesday noted risks involved with international travel and on open campuses, as major Australian universities plan to open around July although the spread of COVID-19 around the world is still not under effective control.

Also, multiple cases of discrimination against Asian people took place in the country during the pandemic period, it said.

The warning for students followed a similar warning last week from Beijing for Chinese tourists to avoid Australia, also citing discrimination cases targeting Asian people.

Asked about the Chinese government's travel and study alerts, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Thursday that he would not be intimidated or give into coercion.

"Australia provides the best education and tourism products in the world," Morrison told 2GB. "The ability for Chinese nationals to be able to choose to come to Australia (has) substantively been their decision. And I'm very confident in the attractiveness of our product."

International education is Australia's fourth-largest export industry, worth 38 billion Australian dollars (26 billion U.S. dollars) annually.

In response to a question about Morrison's remarks, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said these advisories are based on facts.

Footages of Asian people being targeted in Australia because of their appearance are circulating on social media, and the Chinese embassy in Canberra has also received reports of assaults targeting Chinese people, Hua said.

"We urge Australia to take hard look at these problems and take measures to safeguard Chinese citizens' safety."