Historically, China has never lacked the "rational voices" like his at the time of crisis. In the end, it is always the "radicals' who landed on the right side of history. Gen-Z's voice needs to be heard, laud and clear, so that the West know their propoganda against China backfired.
As for the threat the nationalism of Gen-Z may present to the ruling CCP, it's up to CCP to manage, and I believe they are more than capable of handling it.
I agree. Nationalism can be a positive force if channeled into constructive thinking and hard work. Killing that confidence because we are fearful of a misdirection is ignorance，if not treason.
What is a youth without confidence. If a US youth can take pride of his/her Apple, why should not youth from China feel strongly about Huawei? In the end, youth will have passion, like it or not.
Same thing about ideas. Why is feeling passionate and thinking hard about governance in Chinese characteristics a wrong or bad thing?
Yan Xuetong seems to dangerously suggest that we should either block that sentiment/passion, or make sure the passion is channeled into Western ideas and material products.
I would campaign for that professor to be fired. Just hope Qin Yaqing is not of the same opinion - of course Yan is more of a philosopher, Qin is an IR theorist.
that top academic should be put on foreign agent watch list. he's very suspicious. he's saying all the anti-china crap from western countries are all conspiracy theories fake news made up by chinese netizens. those foreign governments in western countries love chinese people. there's no anti-china at all.
His idea is indeed super bizarre. Perhaps he got derailed because he found students question him, rather than worship.
The world towards China is full of malice and danger. Even in countries that do not have a conflict of interest with China, many of their people hate China and are willing to hurt the Chinese if they get a chance because they trust the propaganda from the West. The lie repeated thousands of times also becomes the truth
Yan Xuetong did not try to persuade Westerners to stop thinking "China is evil". But he tries to convince people to think "Gen Z is evil"
Hypocrite and double standard
Of course, positive thinking and optimism must be maintained. China has shown that the word at large is bigger than the West. The West is but a portion of it. It used to occupy a bigger space, but that now is being corrected.
The world has opportunities and challenges. Partners and enemies. In this new world, TPP may fail, and RCEP may succeed. So, there is potential for developing countries.
Yan Xuetong surprised me. He got the whole case wrong. What he advises is against the spirit of the 100 plus years of the revolutionary history. If he is sincere about his proposition, he does not deserve the position he holds.
