The video from the camp was recorded in 2023. (Representative pic)
A video showing a camp instructor forcibly submerging an 11-year-old boy's head underwater as part of a swimming lesson has sparked outrage in China. According to the South China Morning Post (SCMP), the leaked footage from the training camp shows a camp counsellor forcibly pushing an 11-year-old boy's head into water while the child attempted to swim with his hands tied behind his back. The instructor yelled "faster, faster" as the boy failed, struggling to gather momentum.
This military-style "training camp" in China has sparked online outrage over the ruthless hardships it places on its young campers. It is part of the curriculum of a military-style training camp named Chuang Shi Mo Xun, or "Genesis Devil Training" in English.
Speaking about the viral video, the training camp director reportedly said that many children were afraid to submerge their bodies in the water, and the child in the clip was "somewhat timid". The training was intended to help overcome "psychological barriers" and practice swimming," the director of the camp added, per SCMP.
Other activities at the camp include daily morning runs, laundry lessons, and lectures on showing gratitude to mothers, the outlet reported. During these lectures, many children were videotaped crying, which was posted on the Chinese social media app Douyin. "Parents send their children to this camp to foster strong character, willpower, and good life habits," according to the director. He added that the safety of the children was guaranteed.
"The pool water is 90 centimetres (3 feet) deep, so it comes up to our waist when we stand, preventing any risk of drowning or choking. Our pool is disinfected and filled with clean, well-sourced water," the director of the camp said. He also said that some parents specifically sent their children to his training camp because the child was scared of water.
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Meanwhile, on social media, users expressed mixed reactions. While some believed "this is pure torture of a child", others supported the training, saying: "How can children grow up properly without hardships?"
"If a child has a low tolerance for frustration and stress, this approach might not cultivate resilience but could instead backfire and create adverse effects," Chinese psychological therapist Ma Li said.
Notably, the viral video from the camp was recorded during the summer of 2023. The camp attracts 500-600 children each year who participate in its training programmes.