China law professor blasts 'hired guns of western power' in commencement speech

Professor Jiang Shigong, in an emotionally charged address (in Chinese), warned students to shun the popular path pursued by former law graduates: to study at US law schools and climb the corporate ladder in Western firms. Instead, Jiang encouraged them to think beyond the paycheck and work towards establishing a new world order -- one with a staunch nationalistic tone. 

The old, "Hobbesian" world order is dying, but China’s law professionals have largely failed to live up to their mission at this historic moment, Jiang argued. He blamed this on an illusion held by many that “rule-of-law, constitutionalism and democracy can be achieved only in a world created by the US”.

“Would you like to become hired guns of Western capital and defend the old empire created by the US?” Jiang asked. “Or work with people of our homeland to revitalise the Chinese nation and establish a brand new world?”

“Should we destroy our history and traditions to make way for Western constitutionalism?” Jiang added, further attacking Western influence. “And do we want a fake democracy that relies on Western capital and powers? ”

The harshly worded speech also touched on a recent hot topic in China: universal values.

“Universal values are only meaningful when they are passed down as cultural heritage and become part of a nation’s civilisation,” he said. “Otherwise it's an empty word.”