China In Context

Politically correct history: How the Chinese Communist Party tells its story

Mar 15, 2022

14:40

Speeches by Xi Jinping are full of references to the events over the past hundred years, as well as stories from China's ancient past. For Mr Xi, the narrative follows China’s steady progress towards prosperity following a century of humiliation, which began with the Opium War in the 1840s. But some historians say that the Party's version of history is too narrow-minded and nationalistic. By brushing over past problems, they say, China misses the opportunity to learn valuable lessons and avoid future mistakes. In this podcast Zeyu Xu, a journalist from the news agency Xinhua in Beijing, discusses the party's approach to history with host, Duncan Bartlett.

China In Context: Episode 56
Broadcast date: 15 March, 2022

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SOAS China Institute (SCI)

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Music credit: Sappheiros / CC BY 3.0