[SCMP Column] Can Education Change US-China Relations?

Emotional Rhetoric Amid Deteriorating US-China Relations
Nationalism and Xenophobia on the Rise
The Need for Schools to Help Mediate Conflict

US-China relations are changing rapidly, and the overall trend is toward deterioration. Strategists can discuss, from a political perspective, in which areas the two countries share interests and in which areas their values and interests diverge.

However, the current "war of words," characterized by emotional rhetoric, inflicts harm on both sides. As competitive nationalism becomes more prevalent on the international stage, people in both countries are increasingly exposed to the negative side effects of excessive patriotism and xenophobia.

According to a Pew Research Center survey conducted in March 2025, 77% of American adults held a negative view of China. Similarly, a 2023 study by Stanford University researchers found that 75% of Chinese respondents had a negative perception of the United States. Such negative attitudes can easily lead to discrimination, prejudice, harassment, and exclusion.

Prejudice breeds mutual misunderstanding, which in turn leads to interpersonal conflict and social tension. Ultimately, this justifies broader xenophobic and nationalistic attitudes and policies. So, can education help break this vicious cycle?

Fortunately, both countries recognize the importance of "global citizenship education." Global citizenship education aims to foster understanding of diverse cultures and others, and to prepare students to live together in a global society. It focuses not only on building global knowledge, competencies, and awareness, but also on developing the ability to put these into practice.

This education is not limited to a single subject but is integrated across the social studies curriculum. It also includes international exchange activities, volunteering, and sister-school programs. Through such education, schools can help correct misconceptions and stereotypes, and equip students with the ability to cooperate with people of different cultures, languages, and nationalities.

I am currently conducting research on global citizenship education, and the core question is as follows: "What are American students learning about China in school, and conversely, what are Chinese students learning about the United States?"

My research has revealed a gap between the aims of global citizenship education and the way each country is portrayed in actual textbooks and curricula. In theory, students are taught to respect cultural diversity, treat everyone fairly and equally, and value global cooperation. In practice, however, the way the United States teaches about China, and the way China teaches about the United States, falls short of these ideals.

First, the treatment of the other country is excessively fragmented and superficial. Teachers commonly say they lack the time to cover many countries in depth. For example, what American students learn about China may be limited to a single textbook page or about 20 pages, often grouped together with India and Japan.

In Chinese education, the United States is categorized as a "capitalist country" along with Western European nations. Vague terms such as "the West" or "Asia" are used, which replace the real diversity and complexity of these communities. The United States is generalized as capitalist, while China is generalized as a developing country.

In such an educational environment, American students may come to see China simply as an underdeveloped country with a planned economy, while Chinese students may be surprised to learn that not all Americans are enthusiastic supporters of free-market capitalism.

The same pattern is found in history and current affairs education. Both countries frequently portray each other as historical rivals or adversaries, while depicting themselves in a positive light. Teachers may use news articles to discuss current events, but this also carries the risk of conveying a biased perspective. Such educational approaches do not help students view the other side with an open mind or recognize that there are more similarities between the two countries than they might expect.

More broadly, students are surrounded by an atmosphere?both inside and outside school?in which "service to the motherland" is emphasized as the highest value. Meanwhile, news media tend to focus more on international conflicts than on peaceful coexistence, making it less likely that students will recognize that young people around the world share common interests such as peace, justice, and sustainability. They may also fail to learn that it is wrong to divide people into friends and foes based solely on their passports.

What can we do to reduce the widespread misunderstandings and hostility between the United States and China? From an educational perspective, the choice is ours. If time permits, school education can correct stereotypes and misunderstandings. Through education that broadens mutual understanding, we can help the next generation manage and resolve conflicts more wisely. By critically reflecting on what and how we teach in schools, we can lay the foundation for more positive political relations.

Liz Jackson, Professor and Associate Dean for Research at the Faculty of Education, University of Hong Kong

This article is a translation by Asia Economy of the South China Morning Post (SCMP) column How can education help set US-China relations on a healthier course?