Tian Fangmeng

Tian Fangmeng

Sociologist/columnist

Tian Fangmeng is a sociologist and columnist, currently teaching at a university in Beijing. His research interests include public policy, social thought, and population trends.

Examinations play a huge role in China society. This photo taken on November 26, 2019 shows university students preparing for the upcoming National Postgraduate Entrance Exam (NPEE) at a library in Shenyang in China's northeastern Liaoning province. (STR/AFP)

China's university admissions conundrum: Who should have priority?

Tian Fangmeng believes that affirmative action for poorer students and the widespread provision of scholarships for overseas students will bring down the standards of top universities in China. Alternative methods can be found to aid students from poorer Chinese regions or raise the international rankings of top universities without compromising the integrity of university admissions.
Edgar Snow (left) and John Stuart were two Westerners in China who did their part to improve the country. (Internet)

John Stuart and Edgar Snow: Two Americans in China

As the PRC celebrates its 70th anniversary, and amid the China-US trade war, Prof Tian Fangmeng remembers two Americans who left their marks on China in the first half of the 20th century. One became the face of American imperialism and the enemy of communism, while the other became a familiar face in the Chinese government’s official propaganda. But are they so different?
The right-left confrontation in China is growing more polarised. (Image: Jace Yip)

Is China’s public discourse becoming polarised?

The current political spectrum in China, explained in one diagram - scroll down for more.