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Current Affairs

Why a Chinese political scientist wants the public to take a test on foreign affairs

In an era where short-form videos and viral commentary can dominate public discourse on geopolitics, one Chinese political scientist is on a mission to correct…

By Samantha Johnson / July 24, 2026

In an era where short-form videos and viral commentary can dominate public discourse on geopolitics, one Chinese political scientist is on a mission to correct what he calls a “negative one” level of understanding.

Yan Xuetong, honorary president of Tsinghua University’s Institute of International Relations in Beijing, is doing this by challenging the public to avoid social media sensationalism and to take a 60-minute closed-book test on their grasp of foreign affairs.

The fourth edition of the annual exam – known as the International Relations Basic Knowledge Proficiency Test – was held on July 5 at the Liaoning International Hotel in the Chinese capital.

“With the rise of short videos on social media, misleading narratives about international relations have become increasingly severe,” Yan said.

Chinese authorities maintain strict scrutiny over online content. But in the field of international affairs, the controls are comparatively looser. This flexibility provides content creators with greater room to generate traffic by capitalising on international events and diplomatic issues.

Yan Xuetong said serious global conflicts were being reduced to “entertainment”. Photo: Handout
Yan Xuetong said serious global conflicts were being reduced to “entertainment”. Photo: Handout

“In some disciplines at Tsinghua University, teaching starts from zero – introducing students to what they don’t know,” Yan said.

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