Chinese universities ordered to ban textbooks that promote Western values

Mainland education authorities have pledged to redouble efforts to limit the use of foreign textbooks in universities to stem infiltration of "Western values".

The pledge is the latest step in President Xi Jinping's ideological campaign, which has already enveloped the media and the internet and is being expanded to tertiary campuses.

At a gathering on Thursday of university chiefs, including the heads of Peking and Tsinghua universities, Education Minister Yuan Guiren urged the institutions to exert tighter control over the use of imported textbooks "that spread Western values", Xinhua reported.

Universities were urged to keep classrooms clear of remarks that "defame the rule of the Communist Party, smear socialism or violate the constitution and laws". Teachers must also not grumble in class to avoid "passing on negative emotions to their students", Yuan reportedly said.

Citing a joint directive from the State Council and the Central Committee's General Office, Yuan said teachers must "stand firm and hold the political, legal and moral bottom line".

Peking University law professor He Weifang - who was named by party journal Qiushi last week as an example of a university teacher "defaming" the Chinese legal system by spreading Western ideology - said there had always been conservative voices stressing the importance of Marxism in textbooks.