American Congresswoman Virginia Foxx stated that the issue of Confucius Institutes in the United States has not been resolved, with many institutes rebranding themselves and still operating in the country.
Foxx made her remarks during a news event on Chinese Communist Party (CCP) infiltration of American universities in Washington DC on September 23. She pointed out that many Confucius Institutes have stopped identifying themselves as such and now use names like “cultural centers” and similar terms. These institutes have gone underground and are less visible than before.
She also highlighted malicious funding flowing into K-12 education in the United States, particularly from the CCP. Many K-12 schools in the US have Confucius classrooms, which are smaller versions of the Confucius Institutes providing Chinese language courses to elementary and middle schools.
Western Kentucky University, for example, stated in a press release that during the 2018-2019 academic year, their Confucius Institute employed teachers recruited from China to provide Mandarin and cultural education to 47 K-12 schools in over 20 districts in Kentucky.
A report by the National Association of Scholars based in New York revealed that by 2017, Confucius Institutes in Kentucky received annual funding ranging from $3 to $5 million from China.
Foxx emphasized that the purpose of Confucius Institutes is to change people’s perception of the CCP and to present a positive image of the regime.
Former US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo designated Confucius Institutes as “foreign missions of the CCP” on August 13, 2018. He stated that these institutes, funded by the CCP, are part of the party’s global influence and propaganda machinery, spreading Beijing’s narratives and negative impacts on US campuses and K-12 schools.
Following this declaration, several Confucius Institutes in the US have rebranded themselves.
The National Association of Scholars’ report titled “Beyond Confucius Institutes: The Pervasive Influence of the CCP at American Universities” noted that 28 institutions have replaced Confucius Institutes, 12 are transitioning to similar organizations, 58 maintain close ties with Confucius Institutes, and at least 5 have transferred their institutes to new partner organizations.
In December 2023, the US House of Representatives passed the “Deter Act,” requiring American universities to report the sources of foreign donations.
This legislation was introduced jointly by Congresswoman Foxx and Congresswoman Michelle Steel. Foxx also serves as the chair of the House Committee on Education and Labor.
The bill mandates American universities to disclose all funding from the CCP. In 2019, a Senate report revealed that 70% of US universities failed to report their foreign donations.
During the recent event on September 23, Foxx introduced, “This bill lowers the threshold for reporting foreign donations from $250,000 to $50,000. However, contributions from concerning countries like North Korea, Iran, the CCP, and Russia should be reported regardless of the amount. We aim to close the loophole allowing malicious foreign entities to donate.”