Pentagon designates Confucius Institutes a US national security threat

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 24 Oct, 05:08 · Archive

The US defence department has designated Chinese-funded Confucius Institutes on university campuses as a threat to national security.

The US defence department has designated Confucius Institutes, Chinese-funded cultural centres operating on university campuses, as a threat to national security, defence secretary Pete Hegseth announced on Friday in a video posted on social media. The Pentagon added the organisations to its list of institutions that threaten US national security.

Hegseth alleged that Confucius Institutes had operated in disguise after being restricted by Congress. He claimed that 80 'propaganda cells' had emerged across 30 universities using different names and charters. According to Hegseth, their shared mission was to steal intellectual property and 'infiltrate the minds of American students'. He said the Pentagon had 'systematically dismantled every single one of these organisations' over the past two months.

Washington has long accused Confucius Institutes of serving as Chinese propaganda tools and has previously taken steps to crack down on them. The Chinese embassy in Washington did not respond to requests for comment on the Pentagon's designation.

How it is being reported

• Pentagon designates Confucius Institutes a national security threatPete Hegseth says the Pentagon dismantled 80 ‘propaganda cells’ operating under new names at 30 universities.Al Jazeera · 24 Oct, 04:38
• Pentagon designates China-backed campus cultural centers a threat to US national securityDefense secretary Pete Hegseth alleges Confucius Institutes operating in disguise on US university campuses The US defense department has designated Chinese-funded cultural centers on university campuses known as Confucius Institutes as a threat to US national security, defense secretary Pete Hegseth said on Friday. Washington has long accused Confucius Institutes of being Chinese propaganda tools and has taken steps to crack down on them. Continue reading...Guardian World · 24 Oct, 02:21

In this story: Pete Hegseth · Pentagon · China · United States · Congress

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