Screenshot shows Yu Minhong making controversial remarks at Power of Learning, a forum that focuses on education, on Sunday in Shanghai. Photo: Courtesy of btime.com

Billionaire and China's "godfather of English training" Yu Minhong apologized on Sunday for saying "Chinese women are responsible for China's decline." But netizens are not buying it.Yu, CEO of New Oriental Education and Technology Group, made the remarks on Sunday during Power of Learning, an annual forum that focuses on education, in Shanghai."If the standard for Chinese women to choose a man is his ability to make money, and that they don't care about conscience, then all Chinese men will be conscienceless but good at money making… The decline of Chinese women has led to the country's decline," Yu, also a graduate of the prestigious Peking University, said at Sunday's forum.Yu's speech quickly sparked outrage.A statement which comes from a person like Yu shows that gender equality education is missing in China's education system, Luo Ruixue, a member of the women's rights group Women Awakening Network, told the Global Times on Monday.Female Chinese celebrity Zhang Yuqi, who starred in the 2016 box office smash The Mermaid, criticized Yu's speech on Sina Weibo, writing, "[I'm sorry that] Peking University and New Oriental couldn't let you understand what gender equality means, not even figuring out what equality is [thumb down]."China Women's News, a newspaper operated by the All-China Women's Federation, a civil organization under the leadership of the Communist Party of China, urged Yu and other so-called successful men to respect gender equality.Yu apologized on Weibo late Sunday, saying that he didn't express his opinion clearly and caused misunderstanding."What I really meant was: women's level can represent that of a country. Well-educated women could cultivate well-mannered children. Women's values could also influence those of men," Yu wrote.However, not all accepted Yu's explanation."What Yu really meant was that women are responsible for men's misconduct, children's bad behavior and even the country's problem," Luo said."He also belittled men because men work hard to earn money because they want to, not because they are asked to do so by women," Luo noted.