sure, but the ulterior motive is the true motive - maintaining the power of the communist party. patriotism and nationalism is merely in the toolset at their disposal and under these circumstances its not even true patriotism, because all they really want is to silence dissenting voices. i think this story is a direct result of their directive:

The Chinese Communist Party has launched a new campaign aimed at “enhancing patriotism” among the country’s intellectuals. Academics are urged to toe the party line in the latest move to further tighten ideological control in universities, following earlier calls for greater “ideological guidance” and the study of Marxism for teachers and students.

https://chinadigitaltimes.net/2018/08/ccp-launches-patriotic-education-for-intellectuals/

The so-called “unrealistic dissatisfaction toward the country,” as Su put it, has been long referred to as “inappropriate criticism toward the central authority” by the CCP. In 2015, the CCP even revised its Disciplinary Regulations, claiming that any Party member who “makes inappropriate criticism toward the central authority’s key policies” in various forms will be punished accordingly.

https://thediplomat.com/2018/08/ccp-wants-to-enhance-patriotism-among-chinas-intellectuals/