Following the reopening of universities across China, several universities in Zhejiang have issued reminders to their faculty and students regarding the importance of strengthening national security and preventing the leakage of sensitive information. Among them, Hangzhou University of Electronic Science and Technology has mandated strict compliance with relevant laws and regulations, emphasizing that bypassing internet restrictions, a practice known as “climbing the wall,” is illegal and prohibiting the dissemination of anti-government remarks.
A student council member from a university in Zhejiang, named Yao, told reporters that shortly after the start of the academic year, many universities’ party committees issued notifications to departments and students stressing the need to enhance online security. Students were instructed not to browse foreign websites or make criticisms of the Chinese Communist Party leadership. Yao said, “Before National Day, many students and faculty received notifications from the university administration cautioning against online statements, advising against casual criticism of the government or sharing internal campus information, such as incidents involving leaders, suicides, or other sensitive matters. Students were also urged not to bypass internet restrictions and refrain from making inappropriate remarks.”
Yao further explained that “inappropriate remarks” primarily refer to criticisms of the government or the Communist Party: “To put it simply, it means you can’t curse the Communist Party, you can’t speak about ‘family ugliness,’ as doing so would amount to ‘leaking secrets.'”
According to a document shared by students from Hangzhou University of Electronic Science and Technology, issued by the Information Technology Center, it stated, “Individuals and organizations are prohibited from engaging in activities that jeopardize national security, disclose state secrets, subvert the state power, or undermine national unity through the internet; the use of illegal methods (such as ‘climbing the wall’) to access prohibited overseas websites is strictly prohibited; and the creation, duplication, publication, or dissemination of content containing illegal or harmful information is forbidden.”
Screenshots revealed that the university informed faculty and students via text messages and emails, stating, “The internet is not beyond the law; climbing over the wall is illegal, and accountability will be held for inappropriate remarks.” The notice referenced legal provisions such as the Cybersecurity Law and the Interim Provisions on the Administration of International Networking of Computer Information Networks, requiring faculty and students to be cautious in their speech and actions, avoiding attacks on party and state leaders, and refraining from spreading political rumors or inciting illegal activities.
The university also mandated mentors to monitor the online activities of graduate students and enhance internet security education during daily guidance sessions. The notice included the report of a case where a student from a certain college was subjected to security measures by public security authorities due to unlawful online behavior in July 2025, serving as a warning. Furthermore, the document reiterated the prohibition for all faculty and students against making or sharing inappropriate comments in QQ, WeChat, and other social media groups or online platforms, refraining from joining unofficial school-related online groups, and voluntarily isolating false information.
A student, Liu Xiaoqi, from Zhejiang University stated that the university administration warned students, “Do not share negative messages on Douyin or WeChat; if you see classmates sharing such content, you should report it to the university security department, and climbing the wall is strictly prohibited, with offenders facing consequences.”
Further investigation by reporters revealed that aside from Hangzhou University of Electronic Science and Technology, several other universities in Hangzhou recently issued similar internet security warnings to students. A counselor at a comprehensive university disclosed, “This year’s directives notably emphasized the practice of ‘climbing the wall,’ requiring counselors to explicitly address it during classroom meetings.” She also mentioned that another teacher training college conducted the first lesson of the school year, requiring new students to study the relevant sections of the Cybersecurity Law.
However, the enforcement efforts vary among different universities. Some schools primarily administer “civilized internet” quizzes through online learning platforms, while others mandate teachers to regularly report on the online behaviors of the graduate students they supervise.
A junior student from a technology university in Zhejiang remarked that at the beginning of the new academic year, most schools issue reminders to students and teachers regarding appropriate conduct online. He stated, “It’s an annual reminder, and everyone knows not to speak out of turn, but this time, the emphasis on ‘climbing the wall’ was particularly evident. Some schools even require counselors to submit students’ WeChat and Douyin accounts, which I believe is a warning with serious implications, indicating a stricter approach than before.”
Zhejiang scholar, Mr. Liu, pointed out that Hangzhou has always been at the forefront of monitoring teachers’ and students’ activities, with installations of cameras in classrooms to monitor the political correctness of teachers’ lectures. He remarked, “I remember since 2018, Hangzhou started installing cameras in classrooms at middle schools and universities. These surveillance cameras are directly facing the teacher’s lectern, as officials are concerned about the ideological alignment of teaching content. While Zhejiang is economically vibrant, it has a conservative stance in the political ideology sphere.”
According to foreign media reports, on May 16, 2018, a series of photos entitled “Surveillance in Hangzhou Classroom with ‘Eyes in the Sky'” caused controversy. The images documented a classroom at Hangzhou No. 11 High School where a system called the “Intelligent Classroom Behavioral Management System” was installed on the walls. Although appearing similar to regular cameras, they were capable of identifying and collecting students’ facial expressions and movements, conducting big data analysis for real-time attendance checks, focus deviation analysis, and teacher behavior records.
In recent years, many universities in mainland China have begun conducting internet security education campaigns during the back-to-school season, emphasizing lawful internet usage and civil discourse. Some schools have listed “climbing the wall” behavior as a key warning. A former employee from the party committee office at Chongqing University revealed to reporters that since 2020, universities have intensified their management of students, particularly in terms of ideological education and scrutiny. If students are found to have made so-called inappropriate remarks, they may face disciplinary actions from the university, or in severe cases, legal consequences.