Updated December 2, 2021
Confucius Institutes in the United States: Selected Issues
The People’s Republic of China (PRC)’s Confucius
counterparts, and mostly are situated within foreign
Institutes, which offer Chinese language instruction in
educational institutions, while their foreign counterparts are
universities around the world, have been the subject of
not. In addition to providing Chinese language instruction,
controversy since appearing on U.S. campuses in 2005,
according to analysts, Confucius Institutes appear designed
particularly for their perceived effects on academic freedom
to help improve China’s international image or reduce what
and lack of transparency. They have attracted further
PRC officials view as misconceptions about China.
attention in recent years as the broader U.S.-China
relationship has deteriorated. Some Members of Congress
Other Reports and Information Sources
and others have alleged that they may play a role in China’s
efforts to influence public opinion abroad, recruit
Rachel e Peterson, National Association of Scholars,
“influence agents” on U.S. campuses, and engage in
“Outsourced to China: Confucius Institutes and Soft Power
cyber
espionage and intellectual property theft. PRC officials and
in American Higher Education,” April 2017.
scholars deny such charges, and suggest that the Institutes
U.S. Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations,
have become victims of a U.S. “Cold War mentality.”
“China’s Impact on the U.S. Education System,” February
Supporters of the Institutes emphasize that they provide
2019.
Chinese language and cultural programs that benefit
Government Accountability Office, “Agreements
students, universities, and surrounding communities and
Establishing Confucius Institutes at U.S. Universities Are
which may not otherwise be available.
Similar, but Institute Operations Vary,” GAO-19-278,
Policy Developments
released February 27, 2019.
Human Rights Watch, “Resisting Chinese Government
A provision in the National Defense Authorization Act for
Efforts to Undermine Academic Freedom Abroad: A Code
FY2019 (P.L. 115-232, Section 1091) prohibits the use of
of Conduct for Col eges, Universities, and Academic
Department of Defense (DOD) funds for Chinese language
Institutions Worldwide,” March 2019.
instruction provided by a Confucius Institute or to support a
Chinese language program at an institution of higher
Confucius Institute U.S. Center (CIUS), at
education that hosts a Confucius Institute.
https://www.ciuscenter.org/.
Nearly all Confucius Institutes focus on Chinese language
In August 2020, the Trump Administration designated the
instruction at the introductory level. U.S. Confucius
Confucius Institute U.S. Center (CIUS), whose purpose is
Institutes generally offer noncredit courses to the public for
to oversee Confucius Institutes in the United States, as a
a fee. In a minority of cases, they offer classes to enrolled
“foreign mission” of the PRC. The designation requires
students for credit, or Institute instructors teach credit
CIUS to regularly file information about its operations with
courses in academic departments. The Institutes often work
the Department of State. CIUS is a PRC-funded, 501(c)(3)
with university departments to co-sponsor Chinese cultural
nonprofit entity based in Washington, DC.
events, academic seminars, and conferences focused on
doing business in China. They also sponsor programs for
On December 31, 2020, the Trump Administration issued a
U.S. students and scholars to study Chinese language in the
proposed rule entitled “Establishing Requirement for
PRC, and they serve as platforms for academic
Student and Exchange Visitor Program Certified Schools to
collaboration between U.S. and Chinese universities.
Disclose Agreements with Confucius Institutes and
Classrooms.” The draft rule reportedly did not complete the
In 2020, the PRC government renamed the parent
Office of Management and Budget review process by the
organization of the Confucius Institutes, the Chinese
end of the Trump Administration term. The Biden
Language Council International (commonly referred to as
Administration has not resubmitted the proposal.
Hanban), as the Center for Language Education and
Cooperation. As part of the change, the Chinese
History and Mission
International Education Foundation, a Ministry of
The first Confucius Institute opened in 2004 in Seoul, South
Education-sponsored, nongovernmental charitable
Korea, followed by one at the University of Maryland
organization comprised of universities and corporations,
(which closed in 2020). The Institutes, which operate in
was formed to provide funding to the Institutes.
over 160 countries, are patterned after other national
language and cultural programs, such as France’s Alliance
Confucius Institutes in the United States
Francaise, Germany’s Goethe Institute, the U.K.’s British
The number of Confucius Institutes in the United States
Council, and Spain’s Instituto Cervantes, with some
grew to 103 by 2017, mostly on university campuses, out of
differences. Confucius Institutes exercise less autonomy
nearly 550 worldwide. China spent over $158 million on
from their home government than their European
Confucius Institutes in the United States between 2006 and
https://crsreports.congress.gov
Confucius Institutes in the United States: Selected Issues
2019, according to a U.S. Senate Permanent Subcommittee
partners provide matching contributions, generally in-kind,
on Investigations report. In addition, the Institutes sponsor
including support from private sources. These contributions
Confucius Classrooms in U.S. primary and secondary
generally consist of classroom, office, and library space;
schools, which totaled roughly 500 in 2019.
furnishings, computers; and program staff. The Institutes
maintain reading rooms containing PRC publications.
The number of Confucius Institutes in the United States fell
to 31 at the end of 2021, according to the National
Concerns
Association of Scholars, a nonprofit advocacy group. Many
According to some experts, the activities of Confucius
Confucius Classroom programs also have ended. U.S.
Institutes are narrow in scope and they have an incentive to
universities have 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 Institutes’ 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 some Members of
instructors from China, tensions with existing Chinese
Congress. In recent years, some Confucius Institutes and
language programs in academic departments, and differing
Classrooms have closed in other countries as well,
priorities between school administrators and faculty
including Australia, Canada, Belgium, Denmark, France,
regarding the Institutes. In 2014, the American Association
Germany, and 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 PRC
reportedly allow for some flexibility and variation
government considers politically sensitive. Other reports
regarding the operation of individual Institutes. Some
suggest that there have been few instances of Confucius
agreements reportedly are accessible online while others are
Institutes overtly attempting to interfere in academic and
available upon request. Some have confidentiality clauses
extra-curricular activities and speech at U.S. host
and, in some cases, U.S. host schools reportedly have
universities. Some U.S. schools, particularly larger, more
resisted disclosing their agreements.
prestigious ones, reportedly have successfully pushed back
against or prevented PRC interference in university events,
Confucius Institutes each are overseen by a Board of
such as speaking engagements by the Dalai Lama and other
Directors, usually made up of around eight people, with the
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
Article 6 states that Confucius Institutes shall abide by the
Congress has introduced 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 that aim to ensure academic freedom, greater
contravene PRC laws. Some Confucius Institute directors
transparency, and greater managerial authority by U.S.
have responded that PRC law applies only to PRC Board
institutions of higher education and to prohibit the
members and teachers, and in limited ways.
application of PRC laws at U.S. institutions. In the 117th
Congress, such legislation includes S. 577; H.R. 1535; S.
The Chinese side typically provides start-up funding of
590 (passed in the Senate); S. 822; H.R. 2057; H.R. 2622;
$150,000 and operating costs of $100,000-$200,000 per
and S. 1260 (passed in the Senate).
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.
https://crsreports.congress.gov
Confucius Institutes in the United States: Selected Issues
IF11180
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https://crsreports.congress.gov | IF11180 · VERSION 9 · UPDATED