In his speech to mark the centenary of the founding of the Communist Party of China, Chinese President Xi Jinping repeated the term “national rejuvenation” twenty times. The speech reminded the party’s 95 million card-carrying members that “since the very day of its founding, the party has made seeking rejuvenation for the Chinese nation its aspiration and mission.” However, just as “national rejuvenation” betrays the revolutionary conceptions at the founding of the party, the whole official narrative during the nationwide celebration is premised more on hype than reality, raising questions about the party’s commitment to its founding principles.
The operation of the contrary forces of diffusion and control in China’s higher education system is critically examined, highlighting the distinctiveness of China’s internationalisation of higher education. The history of internationalisation of higher education in China, including crucial phases from the Deng era, beginning in 1978 to the Xi Jinping regime is described. The ideational regimentation is discussed in detail and its implications brought forth, and important questions that emerge from the dualism in China’s higher education system are considered.
China, through the One Belt One Road, has linked its domestic economic policy to its foreign policy, implying that the best way to protect national interests is to transform international politics.
