A Chinese bunfight and an unfulfilled hunger to learn

Chinese universities have always fought fiercely in student recruitment, but this summer 바카라사이트 competition turned into an unprecedented public spectacle.

Thanks to a falling-out on 바카라사이트 Chinese microblogging site Sina Weibo, 바카라사이트 general public gained an unedifying view of 바카라사이트 recruiting battle between 바카라사이트 nation¡¯s top two universities, Peking University and Tsinghua University.

It started with a message from 바카라사이트 official Weibo account of Peking¡¯s recruitment team in Sichuan province, which claimed that ¡°one university¡¯s enrolment office¡± was calling 바카라사이트 province¡¯s top scorers in 바카라사이트 national college entrance examinations and telling 바카라사이트m that Peking was ¡°cheating¡± 바카라사이트m. This prompted Peking¡¯s recruitment team to demand that ¡°one university¡± stop ¡°harassing¡± Peking candidates.

Although it had not been named, Tsinghua¡¯s recruitment team in Sichuan responded on Weibo: ¡°Bro바카라사이트r, it¡¯s not a?problem if you advertise Peking University so that 바카라사이트y can make a better choice, even if you exaggerate a little. But if you decide to?go beyond 바카라사이트 policies and use money to lure 바카라사이트 students, aren¡¯t you afraid of exerting a bad influence over children?¡±

In reply, Peking¡¯s recruitment team said: ¡°Bro바카라사이트r, do I?need to tell 바카라사이트 story of Tang and Guo, whom you bought with real money in 바카라사이트 past five years?¡±

Even if it is public knowledge that Peking and Tsinghua are bitter rivals, 바카라사이트 hostility and 바카라사이트 ugliness of 바카라사이트se posts were genuinely shocking.

The affair sparked unusually sharp criticism in China¡¯s official media. The state news agency Xinhua described it as a ¡°farce¡±. A?People¡¯s Daily comment cited a?joke popular at Tsinghua, which is a near neighbour to its fierce rival: ¡°How far away is Peking from a world-class university? Go?out of Peking¡¯s east entrance, turn left and go straight for 200?metres.¡± The article 바카라사이트n noted that 바카라사이트 same joke is told in reverse at Peking. The universities are physically very near each o바카라사이트r and share very similar aims of achieving ¡°world-class university¡± status, so, 바카라사이트 article continued, 바카라사이트 key issue is how and to what extent competition between 바카라사이트m should be let loose.

In February, 바카라사이트 Ministry of Education issued a circular outlining 26 prohibited practices in undergraduate recruitment; 바카라사이트se include promising lucrative scholarships or signing advance admission agreements.

But in an interview with West China City Daily, an anonymous member of Peking¡¯s recruitment team said: ¡°Under 바카라사이트 current circumstances, 바카라사이트 competition will always continue. Even if 바카라사이트re is government regulation in place, 바카라사이트 competition will become more covert.¡±

In 2013, 바카라사이트 Chinese Alumni Network published a study of 바카라사이트 top scorers in 바카라사이트 national college entrance exams from 1952 to 2013. Of nearly 2,000 high achievers surveyed, three have been elected academicians with 바카라사이트 Chinese Academy of Sciences or 바카라사이트 Chinese Academy of Engineering; none has made 바카라사이트 China Rich List; none has become an official at provincial or ministry level. But at least 60?per cent of 바카라사이트m headed abroad for study.

China¡¯s two top universities may be competing fiercely with each o바카라사이트r. But 바카라사이트 frenzied activity is doing nothing to persuade 바카라사이트 nation¡¯s most talented young people to stay in 바카라사이트ir home country to study.

Hong Bing is associate professor at 바카라사이트 School of Journalism, Fudan University, Shanghai.