H1 China Studies in English (Discontinued)

This course was offered at the H1 level as part of the Singapore-Cambridge General Certificate of Education Advanced Level examination. It focused on China's transformation since 1978 and its future. The curriculum aimed to develop students' knowledge and critical thinking skills for a holistic understanding of contemporary China and global trends. The intended student outcomes were to cultivate individuals who are 'China-conversant', critical thinkers, and globally aware.

Aims

The course aimed to enable students to understand China's transformation and future by:

• Examining key issues of state-society relations and international relations in contemporary China.
• Developing skills in evaluating multiple perspectives to arrive at informed judgments.
• Developing awareness of and interest in developments in China and its global interactions.

Assessment

The assessment consisted of a single written examination paper with two sections:

• Section A (Case Study): A compulsory case study with three sub-questions based on one of the two key issues in the syllabus. This section assessed knowledge, analysis, evaluation, and interpretation of information from various sources, including text and non-text materials.
• Section B (Essay Questions): Two essay questions, one from each key issue, requiring in-depth understanding, critical thinking, and the ability to present analytical arguments.

Syllabus Content (2022)

The syllabus explored two key issues:

Key Issue 1: State-society relations in China

This issue examined the interplay between the Chinese state and society, focusing on how domestic peace and stability are influenced by their relationship. Topics covered included:

• Societal changes: Changing demographics (migration, aging population), urbanization, growing affluence, and a pluralized society (income and regional disparity).
• The Chinese state: One-party rule and legitimizing strategies (importance of ideology, performance-based legitimacy).
• State-society interactions: Growing civil society (NGOs, the internet, mass incidents), social development and management (social welfare, online supervision, public security).

Key Issue 2: China as a global power

This issue explored China's rising global influence, examining the opportunities and threats it presents. The syllabus analyzed the factors shaping Chinese foreign policy, including domestic pressures and international norms. Topics included:

• Factors influencing China's foreign policy goals: Guiding principles, national interests, and popular nationalism.
• China as a global power: Involvement in international institutions (global economic stability, environment and climate change, international security), aspects of China's growing power (military modernization, soft power).
• Challenges and opportunities in bilateral relations: Sino-US relations (cooperation and competition, trade and investment, national security), Sino-Japan relations (bilateral trade, historical controversies).