I'm not an expert on the Confucius Institutes but from what I've read they're mostly used for fairly banal purposes, such as hosting Chinese language classes and that sort of thing. There are of course instances of bad political actors using them to promote Chinese interests. Personally I'm okay with shutting them down if that's what we decide is best.
I don't think that's an accurate reflection of malign Chinese influence in academia though. Based on the sources I've read and cited, my impression is that the recently ended China Initiative was mostly an overreach that harassed academics of Chinese descent for administrative violations such as failing to disclose ties to China rather than rooting out actual espionage.
I dunno what You're talking about with this "Chinese Initiative." If Chinese-Americans were harassed, that would be bad.
The Confucius Institutes, OTOH, are not in any way, shape, or form involved in "banal purposes." That's why they were thrown out, in almost *all* the colleges/universities that had them. You recall?
Of COURSE, the CCP just started more of them up under a different name. Nothing nefarious going on there, right? /s
You might be interested in Josh Rogin's book Chaos Under Heaven. Bari interviewed Josh in 2021 and their conversation focused on the supposed threat that China posed to America and the American way of life.
Rogin mentions in the book visiting the Confucius Institute at his alma mater George Washington University and registering for a Chinese Language 101 class . He found that there was nothing nefarious going on there and it was basically just a group of people learning Chinese. Of course there were allegations of politically untoward conduct at Confucius Institutes on other campuses and the book mentions that the University of West Florida closed theirs.
Chaos Under Heaven also mentions that around 30 out of the over 100 Confucius Institutes on American campuses had been closed. That number might be higher now given that the book was published last year, but it doesn't sound like all or even most of them have been thrown out of American universities as you allege.
I dunno how many C.I. have been closed. My understanding is most-a them, on account-a the fact that DOD funds are being withheld from colleges that host them.
I think it's disingenuous to claim that these are anything other than arms of the CCP.
I'll add "Chaos Under Heaven" to list. TY for recommendation.
You ignored my mention of Confucius Institutes. Why was that?
I'm not an expert on the Confucius Institutes but from what I've read they're mostly used for fairly banal purposes, such as hosting Chinese language classes and that sort of thing. There are of course instances of bad political actors using them to promote Chinese interests. Personally I'm okay with shutting them down if that's what we decide is best.
I don't think that's an accurate reflection of malign Chinese influence in academia though. Based on the sources I've read and cited, my impression is that the recently ended China Initiative was mostly an overreach that harassed academics of Chinese descent for administrative violations such as failing to disclose ties to China rather than rooting out actual espionage.
I dunno what You're talking about with this "Chinese Initiative." If Chinese-Americans were harassed, that would be bad.
The Confucius Institutes, OTOH, are not in any way, shape, or form involved in "banal purposes." That's why they were thrown out, in almost *all* the colleges/universities that had them. You recall?
Of COURSE, the CCP just started more of them up under a different name. Nothing nefarious going on there, right? /s
You might be interested in Josh Rogin's book Chaos Under Heaven. Bari interviewed Josh in 2021 and their conversation focused on the supposed threat that China posed to America and the American way of life.
Rogin mentions in the book visiting the Confucius Institute at his alma mater George Washington University and registering for a Chinese Language 101 class . He found that there was nothing nefarious going on there and it was basically just a group of people learning Chinese. Of course there were allegations of politically untoward conduct at Confucius Institutes on other campuses and the book mentions that the University of West Florida closed theirs.
Chaos Under Heaven also mentions that around 30 out of the over 100 Confucius Institutes on American campuses had been closed. That number might be higher now given that the book was published last year, but it doesn't sound like all or even most of them have been thrown out of American universities as you allege.
Cancel that last comment about adding book to list.
I *already* bought it. Sheesh on me!
I dunno how many C.I. have been closed. My understanding is most-a them, on account-a the fact that DOD funds are being withheld from colleges that host them.
I think it's disingenuous to claim that these are anything other than arms of the CCP.
I'll add "Chaos Under Heaven" to list. TY for recommendation.