‘I belong to the Republic of China’: Chinese student shows open defiance during Yunnan university security lecture
A student's declaration that he "belong to the Republic of China" interrupted a mandatory national security class at Yunnan Minzu University, triggering laughter across the lecture hall and a tense confrontation with the lecturer over national identity and ideological education.
- A student challenged a mandatory national security class and called it pointless.
- He later declared he "belong to the Republic of China", prompting laughter from classmates.
- The lecturer defended ideological education and confronted the student as the video ended.
A classroom exchange at Yunnan Minzu University has gone viral on social media after a student declaring, "I belong to the Republic of China", during a mandatory national security education lecture, prompting laughter from classmates and a visibly agitated response from the lecturer.
The incident was reportedly recorded by a student on 8 June 2026 and has since circulated widely online.
The footage shows a national security education class in progress before the lecturer's attention turns to a male student who appeared disengaged and was allegedly wearing earphones during the session.
Addressing the class, the lecturer stressed that the course was compulsory and linked to graduation requirements.
"If you don't take it, you won't graduate, right?" she told students.
She went on to argue that those unwilling to participate could choose not to attend the university.
Classroom challenge
The lecturer's remarks were challenged by a student, who argued that compulsory attendance did not necessarily mean students were required to pay attention throughout the lesson.
"But that doesn't mean we're required to listen during class," the student said.
The lecturer responded by explaining that she did not object to students quietly using their phones during lectures, provided they did not disrupt teaching or distract others.
"As long as you're not doing anything that disrupts the teacher's lecture or affects other students, that's fine," she said.
"If you want to look at your phone, go ahead. My basic expectation is that while I'm teaching, students shouldn't be wearing headphones."
"Is that really too much to ask?"
The student replied: "A bit too much. The class you taught is really nothing."
The remark, widely interpreted as dismissing the value of the national security course, immediately drew laughter from students in the lecture hall.
Video footage shows the lecturer reacting sharply to the criticism and moving to defend the purpose of the subject.
Defence of ideological education
The lecturer argued that the course was not merely intended to deliver academic knowledge, but to cultivate awareness of and identification with national security.
She described the subject as part of China's broader ideological and political education system.
"It is more about cultivating a certain awareness and concern for, and recognition of, national security," she said.
The lecturer then broadened her criticism, arguing that one of the greatest failures of education was producing individuals who benefited from the country while failing to identify with it.
"The greatest failure of Chinese education is producing people who have a Chinese face, eat from China's bowl, yet smash China's bowl," she said.
Student's response triggers laughter
The most widely discussed moment came when the student responded by identifying himself as being from the "Republic of China", the official constitutional name of Taiwan.
"Lecturer, I belong to the Republic of China," the student replied.
The declaration appeared to catch both the lecturer and many students by surprise.
Laughter quickly spread across the lecture hall. Several students could be heard laughing openly, while others appeared to struggle to suppress their reactions.
The lecturer, visibly angered by the response, took out her mobile phone and appeared to photograph the student.
Rather than silencing the room, the confrontation appeared to have the opposite effect.
The video ends shortly after the lecturer confronted the student over his remarks. It remains unclear what happened after the recording stopped, and whether the student faced any disciplinary action from the university.
China's National Security Education Law came into effect in 2015, with universities subsequently required to incorporate national security education into compulsory ideological and political curricula aimed at promoting awareness of state security, sovereignty and national unity.
The Republic of China (ROC) was founded in 1912 and, following the Chinese Civil War, its government retreated to Taiwan in 1949 after losing control of mainland China to the People's Republic of China (PRC).
Beijing regards Taiwan as part of its territory under the "One China" principle, while Taiwan operates with its own government, military, currency and democratic political system.
Although the ROC remains Taiwan's official constitutional name, most countries do not formally recognise it as a sovereign state and instead maintain diplomatic relations with Beijing.
China has consistently sought to limit Taiwan's international recognition and participation in international organisations, opposing efforts that treat Taiwan as a separate state on the global stage.
