US designates Confucius Institute as Chinese 'foreign mission' for its 'opacity'

Amid worsening Sino-US relations, the United States designated the Confucius Institute, a China-affiliated global education programme, as a 'foreign propaganda mission'. US State Secretary Mike Pompeo said that the government has recognised the institute as an entity advancing Beijing’s “global propaganda and malign influence campaign” on US campuses.

The State Department released a “fact sheet‘ on Confucius Institutes, alleging that the organisation delivers “skewed” Chinese language and cultural training to US students as part of China’s “multifaceted propaganda efforts”. It added that the “opacity” of the organisation and its “state-directed nature” were the driving reasons behind the decision.

The designation doesn’t close the Washington-based Confucius Institute US Center (CIUS), de facto headquarters of the CI network, nor US colleges and universities will have to close individual CIs. The CIUS will have to regularly provide information to the State Department about their personnel, recruitment, funding, and operations in the United States, similar to the restrictions placed on diplomatic embassies.

“The United States wants to ensure that students on U.S. campuses have access to Chinese language and cultural offerings free from the manipulation of the Chinese Communist Party and its proxies,” said Pompeo in a statement.

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US seeks 'fair treatment'

The State Secretary said that Beijing has enjoyed free and open access to US society for more than four decades while denying to same to US citizens and other foreigners in China. He added that Beijing has taken advantage of America’s openness but the Trump administration has now made it a priority to seek fair and reciprocal treatment from China.

Recently, the State Department designated US operations of China Central Television, China News Service, the People’s Daily, and the Global Times as foreign missions. State Department spokesperson Morgan Ortagus said in a statement that China’s Communist Party has reorganised state propaganda outlets, disguised as news agencies, and asserted even more direct control over them. 

“While Western media are beholden to the truth, PRC media are beholden to the Chinese Communist Party,” the statement read.

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