China purging ‘Western erroneous views’ from legal education

BEIJING (AP) — China is ordering closer adherence to the dictates of the Communist Party and leader Xi Jinping in legal education before its parliament starts its annual session. The directive demands that schools “oppose and resist Western erroneous views” such as constitutional government, separation of powers, and judicial independence. The directive and similar ones issued in the past reinforce Xi’s leading role on ideology. China’s most powerful leader in decades, Xi is mentioned by name no less than 25 times in the document. Xi has sought to purge liberal Western concepts from the education system and has attempted, with limited success, to reorganize popular culture along more conservative lines.