Updated March 18, 2021
Confucius Institutes in the United States: Selected Issues
The People’s Republic of China (PRC)’s Confucius
Other Reports and Information Sources
Institutes, which offer Chinese language instruction in
universities around the world, have been the subject of
Rachelle Peterson, National Association of Scholars,
“Outsourced to China: Confucius Institutes and Soft Power
controversy since appearing on U.S. campuses in 2005,
in American Higher Education,” April 2017.
particularly for their perceived effects on academic freedom
and lack of transparency. They have attracted further
U.S. Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations,
attention in recent years as the broader U.S.-China
“China’s Impact on the U.S. Education System,” February
relationship has deteriorated. Some Members of Congress
2019.
and others have alleged that they may play a role in China’s
Government Accountability Office, “Agreements
efforts to influence public opinion abroad, recruit
Establishing Confucius Institutes at U.S. Universities Are
“influence agents” on U.S. campuses, and engage in cyber
Similar, but Institute Operations Vary,” GAO-19-278,
espionage and intellectual property theft. PRC officials and
released February 27, 2019.
scholars deny such charges, and suggest that the Institutes
have become victims of a U.S. “Cold War mentality
Human Rights Watch, “Resisting Chinese Government
.”
Efforts to Undermine Academic Freedom Abroad: A Code
Supporters of the Institutes emphasize that they provide
of Conduct for Col eges, Universities, and Academic
Chinese language and cultural programs that benefit
Institutions Worldwide,” March 2019.
students, universities, and surrounding communities and
that may not otherwise be available.
Confucius Institute U.S. Center (CIUS), at
https://www.ciuscenter.org/.
Developments in 2019-2020
A provision in the National Defense Authorization Act for
History and Mission
FY2019 (P.L. 115-232, Section 1091) prohibits the use of
The first Confucius Institute opened in 2004 in Seoul, South
Department of Defense (DOD) funds for Chinese language
Korea, followed by one at the University of Maryland
instruction provided by a Confucius Institute or to support a
(which closed in 2020). The Institutes, which operate in
Chinese language program at an institution of higher
over 160 countries, are patterned after other national
education that hosts a Confucius Institute.
language and cultural programs, such as France’s Alliance
Francaise, Germany’s Goethe Institute, the U.K.’s British
In August 2020, the Trump Administration designated the
Council, and Spain’s Instituto Cervantes, with some
Confucius Institute U.S. Center (CIUS), whose purpose is
differences. Confucius Institutes exercise less autonomy
to oversee Confucius Institutes in the United States, as a
from their home government than their European
“foreign mission” of the PRC. The designation requires
counterparts, and are situated within foreign educational
CIUS to regularly file information about its operations with
institutions, while their foreign counterparts are not. In
the Department of State. CIUS is a PRC-funded, 501(c)(3)
addition to providing Chinese language instruction,
non-profit entity based in Washington, DC.
according to analysts, Confucius Institutes appear designed
to help improve China’s international image or reduce what
On December 31, 2020, the Trump Administration issued a
Chinese officials view as misconceptions about China.
proposed rule entitled “Establishing Requirement for
Student and Exchange Visitor Program Certified Schools to
Nearly all Confucius Institutes focus on Chinese language
Disclose Agreements with Confucius Institutes and
instruction at the introductory level. U.S. Confucius
Classrooms.” The draft rule reportedly did not complete the
Institutes generally offer noncredit courses to the public for
Office of Management and Budget review process by the
a fee. In a minority of cases, they offer classes to enrolled
end of the Trump Administration term. In February 2021,
students for credit, or Institute instructors teach credit
leading House Republicans sent President Biden a letter
courses in academic departments. The Institutes often work
urging him to resubmit the proposal.
with university departments to co-sponsor Chinese cultural
events, academic seminars, and conferences focused on
In 2020, the PRC government renamed the parent
doing business in China. They also sponsor programs for
organization of the Confucius Institutes, the Chinese
U.S. students and scholars to study Chinese language in the
Language Council International (commonly referred to as
PRC, and they serve as platforms for academic
Hanban), as the Center for Language Education and
collaboration between U.S. and Chinese universities.
Cooperation. As part of the change, the Chinese
International Education Foundation, a Ministry of
Confucius Institutes in the United States
Education-sponsored, nongovernmental charitable
The number of Confucius Institutes in the United States
organization comprised of universities and corporations,
grew to roughly 100 by 2019, mostly on university
was formed to provide funding to the Institutes.
campuses, out of nearly 550 worldwide. Hanban spent over
https://crsreports.congress.gov
Confucius Institutes in the United States: Selected Issues
$158 million on Institutes in the United States between
partners provide matching contributions, generally in-kind,
2006 and 2019, according to a U.S. Senate Permanent
including support from private sources. These contributions
Subcommittee on Investigations report. In addition, there
generally consist of classroom, office, and library space;
are nearly 500 Confucius Classrooms based in U.S. primary
furnishings, computers; and program staff. The Institutes
and secondary schools, out of nearly 2,000 globally.
maintain reading rooms containing PRC publications.
The National Association of Scholars, a non-profit
Concerns
advocacy group, reported that the number of Confucius
According to some experts, the activities of Confucius
Institutes in the United States fell from 103 in 2017 to 55 in
Institutes are narrow in scope and they have an incentive to
2021. Universities cited various reasons for terminating the
avoid controversy, including both disseminating
Institutes, including concerns about academic freedom; the
propaganda and broaching topics that are politically
potential for Chinese government influence and risks to
sensitive in China. Some academic observers counter that
U.S. national security; differences between U.S. educational
Confucius Institutes exert influence in U.S. universities
institutions and the Institutes over missions and objectives;
through PRC Board members’ interpersonal relations and
changing curricular needs; declining interest or enrollment;
the Institute’s involvement in China-related programs and
difficulties of operation due to the COVID-19 pandemic;
connections to educational and research opportunities in
the desire to keep DOD Chinese Language Flagship
China. Other issues include the teaching qualifications of
funding; and encouragement by Members of Congress. In
instructors from China, tensions with existing Chinese
recent years, some Confucius Institutes and Classrooms
language programs in academic departments, and differing
have closed in other countries as well, including Australia,
priorities between school administrators and faculty
Canada, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, and
regarding the Institutes. In 2014, the American Association
Sweden.
of University Professors issued a statement calling on U.S.
universities to end their partnerships with Confucius
Agreements, Management, and
Institutes unless their arrangements met conditions related
Operation
to academic freedom, transparency, and managerial control.
To establish a Confucius Institute, U.S. and PRC partner
educational institutions sign an implementation agreement,
Some reports provide examples of Confucius Institute
and each side also signs an agreement with China’s Center
Board members or PRC officials directly or indirectly
for Language Education and Cooperation (formerly
pressuring faculty, administrators, or invited guests at U.S.
Hanban). The agreements and the Confucius Institute
universities that host Confucius Institutes to avoid making
Constitution together govern Institute activities. They
public statements or holding events on topics that the
reportedly allow for some flexibility and variation
Chinese government considers politically sensitive. Other
regarding the operation of individual Institutes. Some
reports suggest that there have been few instances of
agreements reportedly are accessible online while others are
Confucius Institutes overtly attempting to interfere in
available upon request. Some have confidentiality clauses
academic and extra-curricular activities and speech at U.S.
and, in some cases, U.S. host schools reportedly have
host universities. Some U.S. schools, particularly larger,
resisted disclosing their agreements.
more prestigious ones, reportedly have successfully pushed
back against or prevented PRC interference in university
Confucius Institutes each are overseen by a Board of
events, such as speaking engagements by the Dalai Lama
Directors, usually made up of around eight people, with the
and other figures opposed by the Chinese government.
top positions filled by chancellors, deans, or scholars in
Asian or Chinese studies from the U.S. institution, along
Some observers raise additional concerns, including the
with administrators and faculty from the Chinese partner
lack of PRC reciprocity toward U.S. educational efforts in
school. In many cases, a U.S. director administers the
China, possible incomplete reporting by U.S. universities to
Confucius Institute, and in some cases, U.S. and PRC co-
the Department of Education regarding funds received from
directors administer it. The U.S. director often is a Chinese-
China for their Confucius Institutes, and some cases in
speaking school administrator or faculty member.
which Institute instructors from China entered the United
States under an improper J-1 visa category.
Some provisions of the Constitution and By-Laws of the
Confucius Institutes have raised controversy. Chapter 1,
Legislation: 116th and 117th Congresses
Article 6 states that Confucius Institutes shall abide by the
Congress has proposed legislation that include restrictions
laws of the countries in which they are located and respect
and requirements related to the operation of Confucius
local educational traditions, but also that they shall not
Institutes, and which aim to ensure academic freedom,
contravene PRC laws. Some Confucius Institute directors
greater transparency, and greater managerial authority by
have responded that PRC law applies only to PRC Board
U.S. institutions, and to prohibit the application of PRC
members and teachers, and in limited ways.
laws at U.S. institutions. Such legislation includes S. 590 in
the 117th Congress (passed in the Senate) and the following
The Chinese side typically provides start-up funding of
bills in the 116th Congress: S. 480; H.R. 1811; S. 939; S.
$150,000 and operating costs of $100,000-$200,000 per
3453; H.R. 7138; S. 4049; and H.R. 7601.
year for each U.S. Confucius Institute, although some
Institutes have much larger budgets. These expenditures
Thomas Lum, Specialist in Asian Affairs
cover teachers’ salaries, books, computer hardware and
Hannah Fischer, Information Research Specialist
software, scholarships, and other related expenses. U.S.
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Confucius Institutes in the United States: Selected Issues
IF11180
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