Dear readers,
As we write this from our office in the heart of Shanghai, China is grappling with extreme weather across the country. The north is experiencing unprecedented heat even before summer officially begins, while much of the south is being battered by heavy rains and floods. Friends, the climate crisis has unveiled its menacing face, reminding us of the urgent need for action.
In today's update, we delve into two social media firestorms that shed light on the anticipations, anxieties, and complexities of Chinese society. We will also pay tribute to a brave woman who sacrificed her life to save others. Finally, as we commemorate 70 years of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence and witness the return of Chang'e 6 with precious lunar samples, let's embrace the promise of mutual respect, learning, and collaboration as we navigate the future together.
The Manufactured "Math Genius" Jiang Ping
The hashtag #MiddleVocationalStudentCracksGlobalMathRaceTop12# has taken Chinese social media by storm. This heartwarming underdog story – a 17-years-old vocational school student, Jiang Ping, excelling in a prestigious math competition – has sparked a wide range of discussions, including education streaming, the fairness of the Gaokao system, and gender stereotypes in STEM fields, etc., across platforms like Weibo, Douyin, Xiaohongshu, and WeChat.
Background:
On June 13, 2024, the Alibaba Global Mathematics Competition announced its finalists, with Jiang Ping, a 17-year-old vocational student from Jiangsu, securing the 12th spot. Jiang Ping, who studies fashion design at Lianshui Secondary Vocational School, then was featured in a documentary by Alibaba titled "The Unconventional Life of a 17-Year-Old Vocational School Girl," which went viral.
The Alibaba Global Mathematics Competition, held annually since 2017, organized by Alibaba's DAMO Academy, is open to all ages and backgrounds. This year's preliminary round took place from April 13 to 15, with thousands of participants from over 100 universities worldwide. However, its reputation as a "serious" academic competition has been called into question due to its unsupervised online exam format.
As media reported, Jiang Ping's teacher, Wang Runqiu, a mathematics graduate from Jiangsu University, discovered her talent and guided her through advanced mathematics. In previous years, Wang himself competed in the Alibaba Global Mathematics Competition, ranking 166th in 2022, 432nd in 2023, and 125th in 2024. His mentorship played a significant role in Jiang Ping's development, exposing her to university-level mathematics textbooks.
Focus Points in China’s Online Discussions:
Underdog Narrative vs. Skepticism: Jiang Ping has become the latest "internet icon," with her story bringing positive energy despite ongoing skepticism. Some netizens view her success as a symbol of resistance against societal prejudices and stereotypes, particularly the notion that "girls can't excel in math" or that vocational school students are inherently inferior.
Expert Opinions: Mathematics profession like Professor Yuan Xinyi of Peking University raised questions about Jiang Ping's capabilities, noting discrepancies in her written work shown in the documentary and suggesting the possibility of cheating. They pointed out issues in the handwritten formulas seen in the documentary and questioned whether Jiang Ping could have achieved such a high score without external help.
Alibaba's Role: Critics argue that Alibaba and mainstream media like CCTV and People's Daily bear responsibility for the controversy, having used Jiang Ping's story for publicity without addressing the ensuing backlash. Some netizens accuse Alibaba of exploiting Jiang Ping for marketing purposes, only to abandon her when doubts arose.
Educational System Debate: The incident has sparked debates about China's education system, particularly the emphasis on standardized testing. Some netizens see Jiang Ping's journey from a vocational school (often perceived as a dead end) as a call to recognize diverse talents and move beyond the "one-size-fits-all" approach of the Gaokao. But on the other hand, more netizens have raised objections to this. One of them said:
I've noticed that amidst the online buzz surrounding Jiang Ping's remarkable achievement, many have taken the opportunity to criticize the current middle school and college entrance examination system. The primary arguments revolve around the perceived rigidity of standardized testing, the potential for stifling talent, and the need for more diverse and flexible admissions pathways.
While I understand the desire to address these concerns, I believe it's crucial to approach the issue from a broader societal perspective. Let's imagine implementing new policies or reforms that grant schools greater autonomy in admissions. What might happen?
Ideally, all talents would be able to fully develop and get admitted without being overlooked. But what is more likely to occur? Once we open the doors to free and diversified admissions, the space for "maneuvering" will allow the wealthy, the powerful, and those capable of marketing themselves to dominate. Meanwhile, students from humble backgrounds will still rely primarily on standardized exams to cross the narrow bridge. This is not alarmism; there are real-life examples: the United States. Who truly benefits from the US's system of autonomous admissions? Is it the disadvantaged? No, it's those who can donate buildings, those with alumni connections, those who can obtain letters of recommendation from influential figures, and those with the resources to package themselves, among others. Ordinary children still need exceptional grades to study alongside these privileged peers.
So, while a diversified and flexible admissions model may seem like it won't miss any talent—this might be true—it also jeopardizes the fairness that ordinary people depend on. In my view, the number of ordinary people far exceeds the number of "buried talents." People like Jiang Ping, who appear to have innate talent, are indeed rare. Most people are still those who improve through diligent study. Standardized exams are the key to maintaining fairness for the majority in our society. If this key is loosened, it will be like a floodgate opening, and the common people will be drowned. Therefore, I don't believe our education system needs to make significant changes due to this trending topic. Ensuring fairness for the majority should always be the primary task of education.
Calls for Fairness: Amid the controversy, there are calls for fair treatment of Jiang Ping, emphasizing that any judgment should be based on solid evidence. Some netizens highlight the need to protect students from online bullying and stress that even if cheating occurred, a minor should not bear the brunt of the criticism.
As more professionals joined the discussion, some netizens contacted the Lianshui County government in an effort to verify Jiang Ping’s capabilities. They were informed that Jiang Ping scored 83 out of 150 on a recent school exam, a revelation which further fueled debates about the credibility of her achievements.
For More Insights About Chinese Education, Check Out Our Coverage:
Chinese Vocational School Beating MIT? The Trick Down Effect in China's Education
Why are Chinese kids so good at math? | China Currents
Further reading - SCMP: Stanford PhD physicist gets his dream job as a rural clerk in central China
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Suzhou Attack Incident
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In a tragic follow-up to the knife attack reported earlier this week, the courageous woman who intervened to stop the assault has succumbed to her injuries. Hu Youping, a Chinese citizen, was severely wounded while attempting to shield a Japanese mother and child from the assailant. Despite extensive medical treatment, she passed away on June 26.
As previously reported, the incident unfolded at a bus stop in Suzhou's High-Tech District around 4:00 PM on June 24. The attacker, wielding a knife, injured three individuals, including one Chinese national (Hu Youping) and two Japanese citizens. Hu Youping bravely intervened but, in the process, sustained serious stab wounds. Thanks to her selfless act, the Japanese child was able to escape unharmed.
State media outlets release more details. Witnesses and the mother recounted Hu Youping's heroic actions. She initially grappled with the attacker, then embraced him from behind in an attempt to subdue him. Despite being stabbed, she continued to struggle, preventing the assailant from further harming others. With the help of bystanders, passing motorists, and police officers, the attacker, a 52-year-old unemployed man named Zhou, was eventually apprehended.
We are deeply saddened by the recent attack in Suzhou and extend our condolences to the victims and their families. We also honor the bravery of the ordinary citizens and police officers who intervened to stop the attacker. The incident has sparked significant online discourse, reflecting broader societal shifts in China.
Focus Points in China’s Online Discussions:
Combating Nationalism and Xenophobia: Some expressed concerns about the potential rise of nationalism and xenophobia, particularly when news reports initially focused on the injured Japanese victims rather than the heroic Chinese woman who intervened.
"Don't let this world fall into the hands of foolish populists. The world may not be perfect now, but it would be much worse if they prevailed."
Contextualizing Hate Crimes:
"In the U.S., how many Chinese people are discriminated against, insulted, robbed, beaten, stabbed, or shot each year? Hate crimes have become a social phenomenon. Other minority groups are also targets. Reflecting on populism is important and should be encouraged, but we must prioritize and address the most severe cases of populism first."
Media Criticism: Some netizens criticized the media for initially focusing on the Japanese mother and child involved in the incident while neglecting Hu, who bravely intervened.
"The heroic actions of this aunt were not prominently reported by the media initially. Instead, the attack on the Japanese mother and child was overemphasized, framing the entire incident as a national reflection."
Collective Heroism: Despite the attempts to politicize the event, many netizens focus on the collective heroism displayed by ordinary citizens who intervened. They argue that Hu's actions reflect the courage and solidarity that exist within the community, countering narratives that portray the attack as a reflection of widespread xenophobia.
"Some even tried to tie this case to 'populism,' 'xenophobia,' and 'patriotism,' ignoring that a Chinese person was also hurt and that Hu Dajie and others stopped the attacker. When some tried to label this case as a 'Chinese hate attack on Japanese,' Hu Dajie's presence was inconvenient for their narrative. However, after Hu Dajie’s death was reported, they suddenly became her biggest supporters, calling her 'the savior of Chinese dignity.' Yet, they still disrespected her by portraying the attacker as representing 'Chinese people's general image.'"
Chang’e-6 Highlights
On June 28, the China National Space Administration announced that the Chang'e 6 mission successfully brought back 1,935.3 grams of lunar samples from the far side of the moon. These samples will be transferred to the Chinese Academy of Sciences for further research.
With a total of 3,666.3 grams of lunar samples collected from both the Chang'e 5 and Chang'e 6 missions, China has made significant strides in lunar exploration. Previous studies on Chang'e 5 samples have led to the discovery of a new lunar mineral, "Chang'e Stone," and insights into the moon's volcanic activity and geological history.
In an interview, Ge Ping, Deputy Director of the Lunar Exploration and Space Engineering Center of the China National Space Administration, stated: "From the appearance, we found that the samples from the far side of the moon collected by Chang'e 6 are more viscous and clumped compared to other samples. We look forward to new scientific discoveries and results from systematic research."
It is expected that in six months, the Chang'e 6 samples will be open for application to domestic research institutions and scientists. China has always maintained a positive and open attitude towards international borrowing applications.
Fun Fact: The official Chang'e 6 Weibo account recently held a lottery, offering lunar meteorite fragments as prizes.
If you're digging this weekly roundup, give it a like or share, and drop a comment to let us know your thoughts!
Head to The China Academy website to learn more.
Dear Editors,
As we read this from our home in South-Easter Europe, we are just back from the kitchen, from where we listened to the first fifteen minutes of the documentary Climate: The Movie https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bOAUsvVhgsU
It does NOT show, let alone prove, the truth about the significance of the current climate change. What it does say is that there is a wide-ranging debate in the climate scientific community,
as one can ascertain from this list of peer-reviewed papers supporting a sceptical position on climate alarm,
https://notrickszone.com/2022/02/14/hundreds-more-papers-published-in-2021-support-a-skeptical-position-on-climate-alarm/
as well as from these lists of peer-reviewed papers supporting a sceptical position on climate alarm,
https://notrickszone.com/2021/01/29/over-400-scientific-papers-published-in-2020-support-a-skeptical-position-on-climate-alarm/
https://notrickszone.com/2019/06/17/consensus-200-new-2019-papers-support-a-skeptical-position-on-climate-alarmism/
https://notrickszone.com/2019/01/03/consensus-500-scientific-papers-published-in-2018-support-a-skeptical-position-on-climate-alarm/
each numbering hundreds in every year.
In addition, only 0.3% of 11,944 climate papers from 1991-2011 found >50% of post 1950-warming anthropogenic.
https://wattsupwiththat.com/2019/06/03/reporting-the-fraudulent-practices-behind-global-warming-science/
By the way, in case you are without an ability to access the above pages, this reader of yours might be able to help. Legally, of course, and for free, and without being paid by any lobby, like the oil industry, All my money comes from my state and my parents.
Looking forward to your next newsletters
The nuanced & diverse PoVs from the Chinese online community is AMAZING! 😁