French President Emmanuel Macron on Friday asked hundreds of students at one of China’s most prestigious universities to have a “critical mind” about the “colonialist” war Russia has launched against Ukraine.
Received as a celebrity, Macron, who concludes a three-day state visit to China this Friday, mingled with the crowd, shook hands and agreed to take photos with those in attendance upon his arrival at Sun Yat-sen University, in China. city of guangzhou .
A welcoming atmosphere, which contrasts with the strong social tensions of recent months in France, caused by the reform of the pension system.
In the gymnasium of that university, one of the most prestigious in the country, several hundred students waited for the “Makelong”, as it is called in Chinese, for a speech and question-and-answer session.
The head of state, who made the conflict in Ukraine the main theme of his visit to China, said it from the very first minutes: “This war is a clear violation of international law,” he said.
“This is a country that decided to colonize its neighbor, break the rules, move weapons and invade,” he stressed, referring to Russia.
On Thursday, during a meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, the French president urged China to “bring reason to Russia” about Ukraine.
“The international order is weakened today and we have a responsibility, China and France, to preserve it while reinventing it in the light of the realities of the 21st century”he said to students on Friday.
Three students were then able to ask questions, in almost perfect French, which impressed Macron. “I couldn’t do the same,” he responded, causing the audience to laugh.
There were no questions about politics or the conflict in Ukraine, but questions about the qualities you can expect from a good student, the rise of artificial intelligence and public health challenges.
Macron took the opportunity to underline the importance of critical thinking.
“Critical thinking (…) is not in the spirit of criticizing others, it is not negative, but it is questioning yourself about the nature of the knowledge you are being imparted”he claimed.
“That makes us independent and able to judge and sometimes distinguish true from false, put things in context”added the head of state. “And that makes it possible for us to become free and rational individuals,” he insisted.
In China, the media is state-owned and the internet is subject to censorship, especially when it comes to political or historical matters. Many citizens or users are afraid to express any criticism for fear of reprisal.
But “A mind that has only knowledge without critical thinking is not completely free.”, Macron noted. A person without critical thinking “I really wouldn’t know what to do with it [o conhecimento] or it would just be the object of propaganda or a project that is not yours”orphan.
The French president will have dinner with Xi Jinping this Friday before meeting Chinese investors in the evening.
Source: DN
