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Science

While international definitions of science center on the study of the physical world through unbiased observations and verifiable experimentation, the word “science” has complex, multi-layered meanings within the context of Chinese Communist Party discourse. On the one hand, science as a discipline systematically studying the natural world has been regarded as a crucial contributor to national development, driving economic growth and self-reliance. On the other hand, notions of science have been interwoven with political claims to truth as a source of political power. From the time of Mao, with inspiration from the Soviet Union, politics and science have been bedfellows.

Chinese Propaganda, In a Local Paper Near You

Written by David Bandurski on . Posted in Going Global.

Recent reflections on China’s efforts at global influence in the CCP’s official newspaper suggest core Party media have made little real progress in developing their own international channels for communication since “going out” was defined as a key goal in the late 2000s — and that when it comes to foreign audiences, they just aren’t listening.

Looking the People’s Daily in the Eye

Written by David Bandurski on . Posted in Headlines and Hashtags.

The official announcements of the death of former top leader Jiang Zemin may seem like heaps of nonsense and overwrought praise. But take a closer look at newspaper layouts today and they tell us clearly where the Chinese Communist Party would like us to focus.

The Politics of Passing On

Written by David Bandurski on . Posted in China Newspeak.

In China, the death of an esteemed comrade is never strictly a private matter. For context on the passing of Jiang Zemin, CMP runs this piece from the 2017 archives — on the politics of the official funeral.

Finding a Path to Critical Thinking in China

Written by Fang Kecheng on . Posted in Interviews.

Plan C, founded in 2016, is an organization dedicated to promoting critical thinking and public reason through education and public advocacy. They offer online courses that have influenced many students, parents, and teachers, providing training in critical thinking that is lacking in public education. They also publish articles on social media looking at trending topics and instructing people on how to analyze social issues with a critical frame of mind. Fang Kecheng spoke with Plan C founders Lan Fang and Guo Zhaofan in mid-July 2022.

Chance and Defiance on the Front Page

Written by David Bandurski on . Posted in Headlines and Hashtags.

One of the key themes in Xi Jinping’s “New Era” over the past 10 years has been much tighter control of the press. Shortly after Xi’s most crucial media policy speech in February 2016, CMP wrote about the absurd levels such control can take, with reference to the CCP’s pre-reform history.

The Spirit at the Core

Written by David Bandurski on . Posted in China Newspeak.

More important than all other matters of substance at the upcoming 20th National Congress of the CCP will be the question of how deeply the CCP commits to the dualism of Xi Jinping and his governing ideas as the formula for China’s future.

Mixing Science and Politics

Written by David Bandurski on . Posted in China Newspeak.

The CCP has long viewed science as both a crucial contributor to national development and as closely interwoven with political claims to truth as a source of political power. New rules for “science popularization” released over the weekend make this history painfully present.