Qilian County · Full chronicle and history

Qilian County in Qinghai opened a total of 102 student dormitory rooms in two schools to accommodate visitors. Staff moved and packed students' belongings; the county later decided to write letters of thanks and distribute cultural and creative gift packages. Public reports said opinions were sought from the education department and the schools, but it was not stated whether students or parents had consented.

On October 8, People’s Daily published an article about Qilian County opening student dormitories to house tourists, arguing that it is difficult to conclude from the available information alone that the local authorities bullied students for the sake of tourists, while acknowledging that further explanation is still needed regarding the protection of students’ rights. The related topic trended on Weibo, with netizens asking whether county guesthouses and government dormitories are also used to receive tourists.