Patriotism is a poor master of innovation
Zhang Xiaomao says China, despite its pledge, smothers spirit of inquiry
Since the Communist Party came to power in 1949, patriotic education has been part of every mainland student's schooling, training them to love and devote themselves to the party, the people and socialism. But now it seems that patriotic education and its ideologies could be a hindrance to realising the Chinese dream of resurgence.
While visiting the Chinese Academy of Sciences last month, President Xi Jinping said the freedom to be creative in science and technology must be respected, to bolster innovation and invention. Yet, he has also stressed that patriotism is the first requirement for these Chinese professionals.
The vice-governor of Guizhou province, Chen Mingming , was even more direct: he said that Chinese citizens who don't love their own country were scum and a waste of space, and should leave China for the US.
Why is patriotism back to the fore? The answer is that China is still losing its top talent in great numbers.
From 1978 to 2008, China sent a total of 1.4 million students abroad to study. Fewer than a third of them came back.
So, in order to attract some of the brightest and best, the central government launched the Thousand Talents programme in 2008. As a result, the number of returnees has risen every year since.