UK Defunds Confucius Institutes in Latest Example of Western Anti-China Freakout
The UK government has announced it is pulling funding from Chinese-backed Confucius Institutes across the country in the latest manifestation of anti-China anxiety across the Western world. | Confucius Institutes are Chinese government-backed institutions on international college campuses that dedicate themselves to promoting Chinese culture and supporting the teaching of the Chinese language. The program originated in 2004 with the goal of promoting cultural exchange efforts, but it has drawn scrutiny in recent years as Western governments respond to China’s dramatic economic and diplomatic rise.