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China's vice president orders more thought control over students
Thought control after Birth control.. What a life man!!
Xi Jinping, the Chinese Vice-President, who is tipped to take over from President Hu Jintao later this year, has ordered universities to increase thought control over students and young lecturers.
His call for more ideological indoctrination comes amid a ratcheting up of propaganda ahead of next autumn's keynote Communist Party congress, which is likely to see Mr Xi unveiled as China's next leader.
"University Communist Party organs must adopt firmer and stronger measures to maintain harmony and stability in universities," Mr Xi said told Communist Party members at a meeting attended by the country's universities chiefs in Beijing.
"Daily management of the institutions should be stepped up to create a good atmosphere for the success of the Party's 18th congress," he added.
The Party's grip on universities is seen as crucial in cementing its ideology among the influential middle classes – and campuses have long been regarded as source for discontent.
In the past, aggrieved students have received public sympathy and support, most notably during the 1989 Tiananmen Square pro-democracy protest which was crushed by PLA tanks and troops.
Mr Xi's directive comes as the ruling Communist Party tries to engineer a trouble-free leadership transition amid growing internal threats to its political control.
The increasing number of riots, demonstrations and strikes sparked by official corruption, land seizures, widespread pollution and labour disputes over low pay has deeply unnerved the secretive government.
The Arab Spring uprisings, which led to online calls for copycat revolts in China, have also rattled the leadership.
And the increasing influence and popularity of internet social media sites – especially among young Chinese – is also causing great anxiety.
In response to the myriad of threats, the government has issued national orders for officials to get a grip on ideology and push "socialist core values".
Mr Xi, the "princeling" son of Communist veteran Xi Zhongxun, also told university chiefs to closely monitor lecturers, especially those starting their academic careers.
"Young teachers have many interactions with students and cast significant [political and moral] influence on them," Mr Xi said.
"They also play a very important role in the spread of ideas," he added.
A paramount task for universities is to "instruct" the thoughts of young lecturers and recruit more of them as party members, Mr Xi said.
National newspapers were on Thursday also reporting instructions from senior leaders to intensify "propaganda work".
Li Changchun, a Standing Committee member of the Communist Party's Politburo, told propaganda officials to enhance "the ability of opinion guiding and international communication, and strive to create an objective and friendly international public opinion environment in favour of our country".
Mr Hu warned against hostile Western forces trying to split and divide China via a policy of cultural genocide in his article published in the latest edition of the ruling Communist Party's member's magazine "Seeking the Truth". He called on his government to promote its own red culture both domestically and overseas.
In recent weeks, the amount of Western-inspired TV programmes such as talent and talk shows – "deemed trashy and vulgar" have been axed by two thirds during prime time.
Thought control after Birth control.. What a life man!!
