They probably wanted to wait a few more years, but now is the perfect opportunity to stop overseas study, it's only going to get harder to control if they don't act soon.

Students in China heed their government’s warnings against studying in Australia https://theconversation.com/students-in-china-heed-their-gov...

China Issues Warning to U.S.-Bound Students https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2019/06/04/chinese-offic...

Chinese citizens are urged not to travel to Canada https://www.globaltimes.cn/content/1193681.shtml