Overseas Chinese students to be targets of ‘patriotic’ education

Chinese studying abroad are to be targets of “patriotic” education, according to a directive from the country’s Ministry of Education, which also emphasises using education to create loyalty to the ruling Communist Party.

The directive, publicised earlier this month and reported on by The New York Times, says that students abroad should have a “positive patriotic energy”.

It is unclear exactly how Chinese students at Western universities would receive more “patriotic” education, but the directive suggests the building of a “multidimensional contact network linking home and abroad” using embassies, consulates and overseas student groups to ensure that Chinese students “feel that the motherland cares”.

Undergraduates are already subject to mandatory lessons on Marxism and morality and are given the Communist Party version of China’s modern history.

This latest directive includes a call to “organically instill the patriotic spirit into all subjects, curriculums and standards for primary, secondary and higher education in morals, language, history, geography, sports, arts and so on”, The New York Times reported.

University and college students should be instructed to “always follow the party” and be “clearly taught about the dangers of negativity about the history of the party, nation, revolution and reform and opening up, as well as of vilifying heroic figures”.

“Guide youthful students to establish and maintain correct views of history, the nation, state and culture,” the document says, according to The New York Times. “Constantly enhance their sense of belonging to the Chinese nation.”

david.matthews@tesglobal.com