BBC Chinese Edition recently reported that six Australian universities have quietly shut down Confucius Institutes, which are Chinese language and culture teaching programs located on campus that have connections with the Chinese government.
In recent years, the Australian government has stepped up its scrutiny of these education centers, fearing that Beijing is using Confucius Institutes for propaganda and to monitor Chinese students. Beijing said that Confucius Institutes mainly provide courses about the Chinese language and Chinese culture, serving as “bridges to strengthen China’s friendship with the world.” However, global doubts about the Chinese government’s expansion of overseas influence through such educational centers are increasing, and some universities in the United States and Europe have also chosen to close their Confucius Institutes.
These closures mean that nearly half of the Confucius Institutes in Australia have been closed, and seven Confucius Institutes remain in operation. The Australian federal government has indicated that it will not allow more Confucius Institutes with ties to the Chinese Communist Party to be opened.
Human Rights Watch pointed out in a 2019 report that Confucius Institutes are “an extension of the Chinese government” and that they modify their instruction regarding topics that authorities in Beijing consider politically sensitive. A 2019 report by ABC (the Australian Broadcasting Corporation) also revealed that the Confucius Institute teacher candidates are required to demonstrate their political loyalty to the Chinese government.
Source: BBC Chinese, April 2, 2025
https://www.bbc.com/zhongwen/articles/c9qwv88nwl3o/simp