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Xuexi Qiangguo

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Xuexi Qiangguo
Developer(s)Alibaba Group Holding Limited
Initial release1 January 2019
Stable release
2.47.0 / July 3, 2023; 17 months ago (2023-07-03)
Operating systemiOS, Android
Available inChinese
TypeEducational software
LicenseProprietary
Websitexuexi.cn
Xuexi Qiangguo
Simplified Chinese学习强国
Traditional Chinese學習強國
Literal meaning"Study and strengthen the nation", "Study the Great Nation", "Study Xi, Strong Nation"[1][2]
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu Pinyinxuéxí qiángguó
Bopomofoㄒㄩㄝˊㄒㄧˊ ㄑㄧㄤˊㄍㄨㄛˊ
Gwoyeu Romatzyhshyueshyi chyanggwo
IPA[ɕɥě.ɕǐ tɕʰjǎŋ.kwǒ]

Xuexi Qiangguo (Chinese: 学习强国; pinyin: Xuéxí qiángguó) is a Chinese mobile app primarily designed to teach Xi Jinping Thought.[3] It is designed by Alibaba Group.[4] As of October 2019, it has more than 100 million active users[5] and was the most downloaded item on Apple's domestic App Store, surpassing social media apps such as WeChat and TikTok (also known as Douyin in Mandarin),[6][7] before being overtaken by the National Anti-Fraud Center app, an anti-fraud educational app.[8]

Features

[edit]

The name of the app is a pun on Chinese Communist Party (CCP) general secretary Xi Jinping's name. Xuéxí can mean "learning" or "learn from Xi."[9][10]

Aside from offering ideological courses, it allows video chat with friends, sending messages that get deleted after being read, creating a personal calendar, getting informed through the state media or watching TV series about the history of the Chinese Communist Party.[11] The app also has a section about Xi Jinping's thoughts and life and weekly quizzes can be taken about Xi's life and the CCP where points can be won.[12] The usage of each of these sections can provide the user with "study points".[13] By April 2019 it had more than 100 million active users according to Chinese state media.[14]

Once the app is downloaded, it gains access to the ID card number, real name, "bio-data" gleaned from the annual health check, shopping history, phone number, location data and deleted content.[15] Cure53 and the Open Technology Fund reported that the app allows Chinese government access to all of the data on Android-based phones.[16]

The app is strongly promoted by the government institutions and party members get encouraged to download the app in order to "make the country strong".[12] The app is also getting included in some university programs. Schools urge its students to learn from the app, employers give out certificates for "star learners", and some even require their employees to post a daily screenshot with their score at the app.[12] People have complained about being pressured to use the app, with students and workers reporting anonymously that teachers and bosses publicly shame or threaten to punish those who have low scores or use the app infrequently.[17] By 2021, the app was being used for romance scams.[8]

Development

[edit]

The app was developed by Alibaba Group and released by the CCP's Propaganda Department.[18]: 29  Wang Huning, a member of the CCP Politburo Standing Committee, and other leading cadre presided over its development.[18]: 29  It was launched in 2017 with a focus on party members, but has since been expanded for the general public.[18]: 163 

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Li, Jane (14 October 2019). "An app to teach Xi Jinping thought can study the phones of its 100 million users". Quartz. Archived from the original on 30 March 2024. Retrieved 5 April 2024.
  2. ^ "Studying "Study the Great Nation"". Open Technology Fund. Archived from the original on 2021-01-31. Retrieved 2024-04-05.
  3. ^ "Rusty on Xi Jinping Thought? China's most popular app will help you with that". South China Morning Post. 2019-02-14. Archived from the original on 2019-09-20. Retrieved 2019-07-25.
  4. ^ "Alibaba is the force behind hit Chinese Communist Party app: sources". Reuters. 2019-02-19. Archived from the original on 2019-02-20. Retrieved 2019-07-25.
  5. ^ "Chinese app on Xi's ideology allows data access to 100 million users' phones, report says". Washington Post. Archived from the original on 2020-11-28. Retrieved 2019-10-13.
  6. ^ Huang, Zheping (14 February 2019). "China's most popular app is a propaganda tool teaching Xi Jinping Thought". South China Morning Post. Archived from the original on 20 September 2019. Retrieved 25 July 2019.
  7. ^ Li, Audrey Jiajia (2019-04-04). "Opinion | Uber but for Xi Jinping". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on 2019-06-16. Retrieved 2019-07-25.
  8. ^ a b "How China's Xi Jinping app went from pushing nationalism to scamming women". news.yahoo.com. 23 June 2021. Archived from the original on 2022-05-04. Retrieved 2022-05-04.
  9. ^ Lyons, Lily Kuo Kate (2019-02-15). "China's most popular app brings Xi Jinping to your pocket". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on 2021-06-03. Retrieved 2019-12-12.
  10. ^ Field, Anna. "Chinese app on Xi's ideology allows data access to users' phones, report says". Washington Post. Archived from the original on 2020-11-28. Retrieved 2019-12-12.
  11. ^ "China's hottest app is all about making users study Xi Jinping Thought". shanghaiist. 2019-02-14. Archived from the original on 2019-11-12. Retrieved 2019-07-25.
  12. ^ a b c Lyons, Lily Kuo Kate (2019-02-15). "China's most popular app brings Xi Jinping to your pocket". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on 2021-06-03. Retrieved 2019-04-08.
  13. ^ Zhong, Raymond (2019-02-14). "Little Red App: Xi's Thoughts Are (Surprise!) a Hit in China". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on 2019-04-09. Retrieved 2019-04-08.
  14. ^ Hernández, Javier C. (2019-04-07). "In China, an App About Xi Is Impossible to Ignore — Even if You Try". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on 2019-04-08. Retrieved 2019-04-08.
  15. ^ Hawkins, Amy (2019-04-16). "The odd reality of life under China's Orwellian propaganda app". Wired UK. ISSN 1357-0978. Archived from the original on 2019-06-15. Retrieved 2019-09-22.
  16. ^ Fifield, Anna (13 October 2019). "Chinese app on Xi's ideology allows data access to users' phones, report says". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on 28 November 2020. Retrieved 8 December 2019.
  17. ^ Hernández, Javier (7 April 2019). "The Hottest App in China Teaches Citizens About Their Leader — and, Yes, There's a Test". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 8 April 2019. Retrieved 17 August 2020.
  18. ^ a b c Tsang, Steve; Cheung, Olivia (2024). The Political Thought of Xi Jinping. Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780197689363.
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