The case of a Chinese teacher killing the Communist Party representative to his university in June is a sign that academia cannot flourish and technological innovation is impossible to develop in the country, independent scholars say.

Tight controls on the educational system are seen as working against China’s ambition, as expressed by President Xi Jinping since April, to achieve original innovation domestically, especially in the development of computer chips.

The murder took place on June 7, when Fudan University maths teacher Jiang Wenhua killed the school’s party secretary Wang Yongzhen, allegedly because he did not get a promotion and was fired. After the incident, online commentators questioned the existing system for promoting talent.

Independent Beijing scholar Wu Qiang told Apple Daily that the case reflected party secretaries’ strong control of schools and their personnel, including promotions and research funding.

Chinese universities had been lacking in academic freedom since the establishment of the People’s Republic in 1949, and had been unable to produce academic giants.

Students did not respect teachers and were encouraged to report on them, Wu said, so the goal of developing technologies would end in failure.

Another independent scholar, Benson Wong of Hong Kong, told Apple Daily that local officials in China would seek funds for chip development projects as a way to chalk up political achievements, but they would soon find the required technology was unavailable.

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