Journalists in Chinese state media to be tested on loyalty to President Xi Jinping
- About 10,000 reporters and editors in Beijing are expected to take ‘pilot tests’ next month using Xuexi Qiangguo mobile app
- Nationwide exams – with sections on Xi’s political thinking and Marxism – will be held later and press cards will only be issued to those who pass
Thousands of reporters and editors working in Chinese state media will have to sit a nationwide exam to test their loyalty to President Xi Jinping.
Some will be asked to take part in “pilot tests” in early October, before the exams are held nationwide, according to a notice late last month from the media oversight office of the Communist Party’s propaganda department. It did not say when the nationwide exams would be held.
The media oversight office made clear that updated press cards, which are essential for those working in the industry, would only be issued to journalists who had passed the exam. Those who fail will have one chance to take the test again, according to the notice.
Reporters and editors will be able to prepare for the exam using sample questions that will be uploaded to the app from Monday, news website Sohu.com reported on Wednesday.
The exam has five sections, with at least two of them focused on Xi’s political thinking and one on Marxism, according to the report.
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One editor who works at a state-run news outlet had already begun preparing for the exam, and said he was optimistic that he would pass.
“I’m very good at this kind of stuff – I cover it every day pretty much,” said the editor, who did not want to be identified. “I’m confident that I won’t fail.”