‘China education system superior than the West': Telegram CEO Pavel Durov paises China for DeepSeek’s rise

Pavel Durov

Telegram founder Pavel Durov recently shared his thoughts on the way China is upping its AI game. In a long post on his Telegram channel, he pointed out that China’s AI advancements, such as the success of the startup DeepSeek, show how quickly the country is catching up with the United States. Durov stated that the development has not taken place overnight. It is the result of a strong foundation in mathematics and programming which could only be facilitated by China’s education system.

“China’s progress in algorithmic efficiency hasn't come out of nothing. Chinese students have long outperformed others in math and programming at international olympiads,” he said.

While he praised China’s education system, he also criticised western schools for discouraging competition. Many schools in the West do not publicly announce student rankings or grades. By doing so, they aim to reduce pressure. While this move is meant to protect students,a Durov argued that it can also lower motivation among top-performing students. Without clear rankings, ambitious students may struggle to find meaning in their studies.

“Western schools discourage competition, prohibiting public announcements of students' grades and rankings. The rationale is understandable — to protect students from pressure or ridicule. However, such measures also predictably demotivate the best students. Victory and defeat are two sides of the same coin. Eliminate the losers — and you eliminate the winners, “ he added.

He pointed out that many gifted students now find competitive video games more engaging than academics because games provide clear rankings and rewards. Durov warned that telling all students they are successful, regardless of their actual performance, may create unrealistic expectations. Once they enter the real world, where competition is unavoidable in fields like business, science, and technology, they may struggle to adapt.
According to Durov, if the US does not make major changes to its education system, he believes China will continue to dominate in the field of AI.