Pentagon designates Chinese cultural centers national security threat
The Pentagon has designated Chinese cultural programs linked to Confucius Institutes as a national security threat, claiming they serve as fronts for Beijing's propaganda campaign.
In a video posted on Facebook, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth claimed that while the US Congress had previously banned Confucius Institutes from American educational institutions, they "came back disguised in new forms" and under new names. He alleged these centers were trying to "infiltrate the minds of American students" and "steal intellectual property." The Pentagon has systematically dismantled 80 Chinese-backed cultural centers across 30 universities in the past two months.
Previous Actions
In 2020, the US Department of State designated Confucius Institutes as a "foreign mission of the People's Republic of China," requiring them to provide regular information about their operations. Then-Secretary of State Mike Pompeo alleged the centers were recruiting "spies and collaborators" at US colleges.
We will get them all closed out.
International Response
China's Foreign Ministry accused US officials of "ideological bias and political expediency," urging Washington to "abandon the Cold War zero-sum mentality" and stop interfering with cultural exchanges. Similar actions against Confucius Institutes have occurred in other Western countries, with Australia reporting six university closures last year and Sweden reportedly becoming the first European nation to close all such centers in 2020.
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