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Rewriting world history puts China’s image and ‘cultural security’ at risk: party journal

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Alcott Weiin BeijingPublished: 12:00am, 7 Sep 2026Radically rewriting world and Chinese history without solid proof could threaten China’s international image and national identity, a leading Communist Party journal has warned.

There has been a growing trend to promote a less Western-centric view of history in recent years, while Beijing has also been keen to promote the idea that Chinese civilisation has a long and continuous history.

But at the same time, the so-called pseudo-historical school – which has cast doubt on the origins of Western culture or claimed key scientific advances originated in China – has become increasingly popular in some circles.

On Monday, the party’s theoretical journal Qiushi published an article criticising the trend. It warned that this could pose a threat to China’s own “cultural security and ideological security”.

“The extreme pseudo-historical claims proliferating online continue to spread overseas and have already damaged our country’s ‘academic discourse power’ and cultural image abroad,” the article said.

Some of the most eye-catching theories have cast doubt on key aspects of ancient Greek history, which risk damaging Beijing’s relationship with Athens and other governments.AdvertisementSelect VoiceSelect Speed00:0000:001.00x