An outspoken Chinese political professor has openly renounced his membership from the Chinese Communist Party on his micro-blog. Zhang Xuezhong is a professor of Civil Law and master instructor at the East China University of Political Science and Law.

On September 10, we were unable to find the statement in Zhang Xuezhong’s micro-blog. But Guizhou-based lawyer Wang Zhaoyi said that he witnessed Zhang’s renouncement and that the statement was quickly removed by authorities.

Wang Zhaoyi: "His micro-blog has been blocked."

Reporter: "But I could see other messages in his micro-blog."

Wang Zhaoyi: "Yes, but didn’t you notice that the remaining messages were all old posts. His renouncement was sent yesterday, but was soon blocked.”

Wang Zhaoyi believes that Zhang’s renouncement of the Party came after much thought. On September 7, Zhang Xuezhong posted in his micro-blog: "Education should not only help individuals to acquire expert knowledge, it should help them develop healthy, tolerant and kind personalities. Just because of this, the government should not intervene with education."

Zhang Xuezhong continued, "A country cannot be wholeheartedly supported by citizens with their loyalty, unless it can ensure each one's dignity, liberty, property and safety through setting up a fair and reasonable political establishment. Otherwise, no amount of indoctrination and preaching could change the fragmented situation that the country exhibits. Coercion and deception will never gain recognition from the people!"

Zhang was previously suspended from teaching undergraduate courses because he openly supported Hong Kong students’ campaign against a so-called “patriotic education”. While the course is supposed to promote national pride, many are concerned that it gives a one-sided view on China’s politics.

Zhang commented on his micro-blog: “As university leaders, your first duty should be to safeguard freedom of thought, academia and expression for teachers. This is rather than assisting political powers to muzzle free speech and suppress dissidents.”

“I hope the decision that you made was out of your conscience, and can withstand the test of time."

In 2011, Zhang Xuezhong appealed in an open letter to Education Minister Yuan Guiren calling for the cancellation of political subjects in undergraduate and graduate entrance exams. He called for the removal of courses on Marxism, Mao Zedong Thought and Deng Xiaoping Theory from the university’s core curriculum. It was then announced that his contract might not be renewed.

Zhang is among 123 million other Chinese who have quit the Chinese Communist Party and its affiliated organizations. The “Tuidang”, or “Quit the CCP”, movement began in 2004 after The Epoch Times ran the “Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party."

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