By: Leslie Fu and Jianli Yang – Nov 16, 2023
On Oct. 24, China’s highest legislative body, the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, passed the Patriotic Education Law. The law aims to strengthen patriotic education programs at all levels of schooling, to counter challenges such as “historical nihilism” and to safeguard “national unity.” Additionally, the law prohibits any form of media with the potential to “distort, slander, or deny the acts and spirit of national heroes and institutions of patriotism.”
The statute’s ambiguous language and inherent arbitrariness are euphemisms for any deviation from the official rhetoric of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). It is a further departure from the rule of law and an audacious effort to silence opposition. The most recent action is a measure, which some may argue was inevitable, adopted by the CCP to preserve its dominance over the country in the face of a massive economic crisis that threatens to undermine the regime’s narrative of performance legitimacy.
According to the CCP’s state media, a considerable portion of the Chinese population lately has succumbed to “historical nihilism,” which is code for widespread doubt and skepticism regarding the CCP’s… [Continue Reading]
Source: https://themessenger.com/opinion/china-suppress-dissent-economic-troubles-chinese-communist-party