The Financial Times reports that enrollment at Lakeside University for the new academic year, which was expected to begin in late March, has been halted and it is unclear when it will resume.
The newspaper quoted sources as disclosing that Chinese Communist authorities are increasingly suspicious of Ma’s move to influence society by founding Lakeside University, “which the authorities believe is likely to organize China’s leading entrepreneurs to act on Ma’s will rather than the will of the party. This is not allowed.”
Sources close to the matter say that some in the Communist Party consider Lakeside University to be a modern-day version of the “Donglin Academy.
The East Forest Academy was built in the Northern Song Dynasty as a lecture hall for the Song and Ming scholars Yang Shi. Later, it fell into disrepair due to years of disrepair. During the Ming Dynasty, it was rebuilt and became one of the four most flourishing academies at the time. It had a great influence on young officials at the court, with many supporters, and the teachers and students formed a network to compete with their political opponents for power positions, and were later criticized by their political opponents as the East Forest Party.
The newspaper quoted another knowledgeable person as saying, “Lakeside University is like an elite group and has become a major target (for the authorities).” This person said that while Beijing may see Lakeside University as a way for Ma to try to build power, Lakeside University actually focuses on entrepreneurship.
Although Lakeside University is under pressure, the person familiar with the matter said that classes are continuing and the school has not been ordered to close.
The Financial Times reports that the blocked enrollment at Lakeside University underscores the fact that the pressure on Ma has extended beyond his career to the impact he has had in the community by promoting his activities.
“Zhou Fenglock, founder of Humane China, tweeted a sarcastic comment to the authorities today: “The enemy of the Donglin Party is the ‘Eunuch Party’, who is the Eunuch Party?” A netizen responded, “Hu Xijin, Jin Canrong, Li Yi.
Public information shows that Lakeside University was founded in 2015, headquartered in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, by nine entrepreneurs and famous scholars, including Jack Ma and Liu Chuanzhi, who served as the first president.
Since the first inauguration ceremony was held on March 27, 2015, seven students have been enrolled.
Lakeside University requires: applicants must be business decision-makers who have been in business for more than 3 years; annual revenue of more than 30 million; need to provide proof of 3 years of corporate taxation, and the size of the company exceeds 30 people; and have 3 recommenders, at least 1 of whom is a designated recommender for Lakeside University, which is said to be “more difficult than Harvard”.
Ma has revealed that 11,788 students have applied to the school since its inception, but only 254 students have been admitted, an acceptance rate of only 2%. He said he hopes to train no more than 3,000 entrepreneurs in the next 30 years.
Lakeside University already suffered a blow late last year when its construction project in Kunming, Yunnan province, was halted “due to planning adjustments”.
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