China: Confucius Institutes under pressure from US

China said political attacks from the Trump administration of its Confucius Institutes are a new form of "McCarthyism."

"What the U.S. has done has evolved into outright political persecution, which not only violates morality and justice, but also tarnishes the image of the US itself. This is New McCarthyism," said Zhao Lijian, Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson, at a regular press briefing in Beijing on Monday.

The administration last week urged US schools and colleges to rethink their ties to the institutes that bring Chinese language classes to the US but, according to federal officials, also invite a "malign influence" from China.

Patterned after the British Council and Alliance Francaise, the Confucius Institutes are unique in that they set up operations directly on US campuses and schools, drawing mounting scrutiny from US officials amid increased tensions with China.

In letters to universities and state education officials, the State Department and Education Department said the program gives China's ruling Communist Party a foothold on US soil and threatens free speech.

Schools are being advised to examine the program's activities and "take action to safeguard your educational environments."

More than 60 US universities host Confucius Institutes through partnerships with an affiliate of China's Ministry of Education, though the number has lately been dropping.

China provides teachers and textbooks and typically splits the cost with the university. The program also brings Chinese language classes to about 500 elementary and secondary classrooms.

At least 39 universities have announced plans to shutter Confucius Institute programs since the start of 2019, according to a log published by the National Association of Scholars, a conservative nonprofit group.

Other nations have also sought to curb China's influence in their schools, with regional educational departments in Canada and Australia cutting ties with the institutes.