Chinese President Xi Jinping has asked colleges and universities to strictly adhere to the leadership of the ruling Communist Party and its ideology amid criticism over increasing restrictions imposed on academic freedom and dissent.
Xi told heads of domestic higher education institutions at a conference here yesterday that the Party committees of higher education institutions should always take the helm, be responsible for making decisions and ensure that the institutions are developing in the right direction.
He also said Party committees at all levels across the country should attach great importance to the ideology of colleges and universities and make this one of their priorities, state-run China Daily reported today.
Party chiefs and members should visit the educational institutions frequently, communicate with teachers and students, take suggestions from them and answer their questions.
The move comes in the backdrop of criticism that colleges and universities have been loosing interest in ideological education.
A number of Chinese professors have written to government earlier complaining that students of economics were being brainwashed by western theories alienating Marxian ideology.
In his speech, Xi stressed that China has its own history, unique culture and special current situation, which means that higher education institutions should walk on their own path and make themselves socialist institutions with Chinese characteristics.
The goal of colleges and universities should be consistent with the whole country's development target, he said.
Their work should serve the people, the Party's governance, the development of the socialist system with Chinese characteristics and reform and opening-up, as well as the socialist modernisation drive.
Since taking over the Communist Party of China (CPC), becoming President and head of army four years ago, Xi, who became the most powerful leader in China in recent times, is focusing efforts to firm up party control over all powerful institutions in the country.
Besides carrying out a widespread anti-corruption campaign punishing over a million officials, Xi has firmly advocated that country's 2.3 million-strong military, the world's largest, to function under the CPC's leadership ensuring that party remained its high command.
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