A college student in China has been expelled after repeatedly expressing opposition to Marxism and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in class, according to an internal disciplinary notice circulating online. Scholars say the case highlights Beijing’s increasingly narrow tolerance for dissenting political views on campus.
Northwest University in Xi’an removed the student, a physics major admitted in 2023, after four classmates reported him for rejecting the CCP’s political legitimacy, according to the notice.
The document says he had already been disciplined in 2024 for “inappropriate remarks” during a Theoretical Marxism course in which he challenged core party doctrines and disagreed with classmates.
The dispute allegedly escalated on Sept. 16 during a mandatory class on “Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era.”
Asked about the relationship between communist ideals and China’s national rejuvenation, the student reportedly argued there was “no connection” and that “a nation can be revived without communism.” He also told the instructor, according to the notice, “If the Communist Party collapses, you Marxist professors will have to set up street stalls outside the South Gate to make a living.”
Experts Question Severity of Penalty
Several scholars in Xi’an, Chongqing, and other cities told The Epoch Times that discussion of Marxism and the CCP’s history in class is normal, and that students expressing personal views, including emotional or dissenting ones, should not be considered misconduct.The individuals spoke anonymously or withheld their full names due to safety concerns.
“In political theory classes, there’s nothing wrong with discussing Marxism, communism, or the history of the CCP,” Mr. Xu, a retired journalist from the local Shaanxi Television, told The Epoch Times. He pointed out that Chinese scholars who studied the CCP’s history have openly written about the Party’s internal struggles in the past.
On Nov. 21, Northwest University’s disciplinary committee ruled that the student had violated university policies and “seriously disrupted classroom teaching order,” according to the notice. The university has not publicly announced the decision and did not respond to The Epoch Times’ request for comment.
A Chongqing-based lawyer, speaking to The Epoch Times on condition of anonymity, said the student’s statements are not illegal under Chinese law, but that universities operate within the CCP’s political system and are expected to uphold stricter ideological oversight.
“Legally speaking, expressing disbelief in an ideology is not a crime,” he said.
“But universities are assigned a special role in ideological education. In the past two years, many campuses have created Marxism institutes precisely for this purpose.”
He added that the expulsion shows a shift from earlier approaches such as counseling or informal warnings: “Ten years ago, this might have ended with a classroom debate or a talk with an adviser. Now, in some universities, public statements deviating from the official narrative are treated as crossing a political red line.”
Broader Push for Tighter Ideological Control on Campuses
The CCP has in recent years urged universities to strengthen ideological alignment and integrate “Xi Jinping Thought” across teaching, research, and campus governance. Chinese state media have highlighted directives instructing schools to “prevent and control ideological risks.”While disciplinary cases involving political expression are not new, expulsions remain rare. Teachers and students have previously faced warnings, suspensions, or administrative penalties for classroom remarks, though such incidents are seldom publicized.
Mr. Wang, a faculty member at Chongqing Normal University, said student-on-student and student-on-teacher reporting has grown more common in recent years, creating what he described as an atmosphere reminiscent of the CCP’s brutal Cultural Revolution from 1966 to 1976.
“Our university once had a professor named Tang Yun,” he said.
“In Feb. 2019, at the start of the new semester, he expressed his personal views in class and was reported by students, which led to his teaching qualifications being revoked and a demotion. After Tang Yun retired, I heard that a surveillance camera was installed at his front door to continue monitoring him.”
It remains unclear whether the Northwest University student will appeal the decision. Discussion of the case on China’s heavily censored social media platforms has been limited, with many related posts deleted shortly after appearing.
Xing Du contributed to this report.
