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Chinese city bans Christmas events in schools

25 December 2014 23:29 (UTC +04:00)

The government education bureau in the eastern coastal city of Wenzhou banned schools from holding “Christmas-related” events, China’s English-language daily tabloid, The Global Times, reported on Thursday.

Officials “hope schools can pay more attention to Chinese traditional festivals instead of Western traditions,” the newspaper’s report read.

Wenzhou is considered a center of Christian activity, with a relatively large Christian population.

Meanwhile, the Northwest University in the ancient city of Xi’an in central China required students to watch a documentary about Chinese philosopher Confucius instead of celebrating Christmas. The university has appealed to students to pay more attention to Chinese traditional culture, and not to “idolize foreign festivals,” state-run, Guangming Daily, reported.

China periodically speaks out against “Western cultural infiltration” amid growing consumption of foreign movies, music and goods.