The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has introduced new national security textbooks for students. The series, called “National Security Education Readers for Primary and Secondary Students,” is to be used by students nationwide.
According to a report from Global Times, two of the books are for elementary students, one for junior high students, and one for senior high school students. The materials were gathered through the Department of National Textbooks under the Ministry of Education.
The report, citing information from the Xinhua News Agency, explained that elementary school students are to learn the basics of national security, junior high school students are guided “toward a deeper understanding of the holistic national security concept” and “build a basic awareness of security across different fields,” and senior high school students are to be taught the “importance of national security to national development and strengthening their confidence and determination to safeguard it.”
The textbooks aim to support “continuity across all stages of education,” the report notes.
Previous reports indicate that China has also bolstered its military influence and training among its youth. Kindergarten-aged children underwent combat training in boot camps across the country, a 2023 report found. Children were reportedly taught how to handle weapons using toy knives, grenades, rifles, and shoulder-fired missiles. A 2024 report suggested the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) drafted a law requiring military training for elementary-aged children.
Chinese propaganda has also surged in the United States, as a report from The Daily Caller found that an advertised “Root-Seeking Summer Camp in China” served as an opportunity for Chinese children living in the United States to learn more about Chinese culture. Upon further investigation, however, it was learned that Chinese influence groups are affiliated with the camps.
