China wants to export education, too
It sees international schools as a service to expatriates—and a source of soft power
ABOUT 500 pupils study at the Chinese School Dubai. Most are children of Chinese expatriates who have moved to the United Arab Emirates for work. At the school’s swish suburban campus, pupils follow much the same curriculum they would at home. On one wall hangs a bland quote from China’s leader, Xi Jinping, picked out in shiny gold. The institution, which has more than doubled in size since its opening in 2020, is a pilot project: the first of several international schools the Communist Party talks of setting up in big cities. In 2019 officials said they had asked Chinese diplomats in 45 countries, including Britain and America, to explore the possibility of creating such institutions.
Explore more
This article appeared in the China section of the print edition under the headline “Exporting education”
From the June 22nd 2024 edition
Discover stories from this section and more in the list of contents
Explore the editionMore from China
An outrage that even China’s supine media has called out
Anger is growing over a form of detention linked to torture and deaths
Why foreign law firms are leaving China
A number of them are in motion to vacate
An initiative so feared that China has stopped saying its name
“Made in China 2025” has been a success, but at what cost?
A pay rise for government workers sparks anger and envy in China
The effort to improve morale has not had the intended effect
A big earthquake causes destruction in Tibet
Dozens are dead, thousands of buildings have been destroyed
Militant Uyghurs in Syria threaten the Chinese government
How much does China have to fear?