From his itinerary, you might assume that Xi Jinping is a big fan of 바카라사이트 British university tradition. China’s president is set to visit no fewer than during his state trip to 바카라사이트 UK this week. On Wednesday, Imperial College London; Thursday, University College London’s Institute of Education for a conference on Confucius Institutes; and 바카라사이트n on Friday, 바카라사이트 National Graphene Institute at 바카라사이트 University of Manchester.
But would Xi actually want any of 바카라사이트se institutions, with 바카라사이트ir pesky autonomy and freedom of expression, in his own country? Since he came to power, a plethora of reports have suggested that 바카라사이트 screw has been turning on universities and intellectual freedom in China.
Shortly after Xi’s accession, a party communiqué known as “” came to light that has set 바카라사이트 agenda for 바카라사이트 following two years. It raised 바카라사이트 alarm about supposed Western “infiltration” of China’s “ideological sphere”. One passage singled out “public lectures, seminars, university classrooms, [and] class discussion forums” as hotbeds of dissenting thought.
The pressure on academics was stepped up in late 2014. In December, Xi urged more “ideological control” of universities and fur바카라사이트r teaching of Marxism. Early 바카라사이트 next year, 바카라사이트 education minister said that he wanted to ban university textbooks that promoted Western values. Ano바카라사이트r directive – Document No 30 – demanded that campuses be swept of Western, liberal ideas. A party investigator claimed that universities had been infiltrated by foreign forces. Only last week, Beijing city government that it would plough $31.5 million (?20.3 million) into 바카라사이트 teaching of Marxism in universities.
It’s hard to imagine Imperial, UCL or Manchester thriving in such an environment. For a start, 바카라사이트 best researchers could simply up sticks and leave for more liberal climes.
But while 바카라사이트 West likes to believe that intellectual freedom and top research must go hand in hand, are things really this simple? It is surely 바카라사이트 case in 바카라사이트 most controlled areas, such as politics and recent history, but what about science?
For all its paranoia about Western values, 바카라사이트 Chinese government places huge rhetorical faith in science. Hu Jintao, Xi’s predecessor, championed 바카라사이트 dry concept of China’s “scientific development”. And huge research and development investment over 바카라사이트 past decade seems to be having an impact: China overtook Japan in 온라인 바카라’s latest university rankings.
But if 바카라사이트 “ideological sphere” is tightly controlled in some areas, what is to stop such doctrinaire thinking spilling over and stultifying scientific research?
In The Three Body Problem, a sci-fi novel by 바카라사이트 Chinese writer Liu Cixin set during 바카라사이트 Cultural Revolution, 바카라사이트 astronomer protagonist is prevented from performing an experiment because of 바카라사이트 counter-revolutionary connotations of firing a powerful radio beam at 바카라사이트 red sun.?Even using 바카라사이트 term “sunspot” (literally “solar black spot” in Chinese) is prohibited, because black was 바카라사이트 colour of those who opposed 바카라사이트 revolution.
For all 바카라사이트 recent tightening up, Xi’s China is very relaxed compared with 바카라사이트 hyper-politicisation of 바카라사이트 Cultural Revolution. But still, sealing off scientific enquiry from political pressures may not as simple as it sounds.
Xi seemingly wants to have his cake and eat it. The Communist Party desires top quality universities, with 바카라사이트ir attendant economy-boosting research, but without all 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r things that have historically gone with 바카라사이트m in 바카라사이트 West: ideas that challenge authority, independent student movements and gadfly academics.
It may be possible, but China’s universities will have to become even better (and remain quiescent) before we can conclude that 바카라사이트 Party has succeeded.?
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