Australia's elite universities have dismissed claims that they pose a risk for Chinese students.

China's Ministry of Education issued a statement this week warning students to reconsider studying in Australia, pointing to “racist incidents” emerging from the COVID-19 pandemic.

“During the period of pandemic, there are numerous discrimination cases against Asians in Australia,” the statement said.

“Please be cautious of choosing or going to study in Australia.”

Group of Eight chief executive Vicki Thomson – speaking for Australia’s elite universities – has slammed the claims.

“When we have statements such as this, which are from our perspective very disappointing and unjustified, it raises some level of concern,” Ms Thomson said.

Despite several reports of people being racially abused in Australia during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Federal Government has rejected Beijing's suggestion.

But local media outlets have reported instances of Australians of Asian backgrounds being verbally abused, physically assaulted, spat at and targeted with racist graffiti.

However, much of the evidence has been anecdotal.

Ms Thompson says China has not named any specific incidents that the Ministry of Education was referring to.

“We have asked the Chinese embassy are there incidents that they are aware of that we need to know about because if there are we need to be working together to resolve them,” she said.

“They have been unable to provide us with that advice because they advise us there are no cases.

“So it is concerning that, yet again, international education, and particularly with China, is yet again the pawn in a political game that is not of our making.”