US Must Treat Confucius Institute Fairly Mulling 'Foreign Agent' Status – China

13:41 GMT, 22 March 2018

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BEIJING (Sputnik) - Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Hua Chunying on Thursday said that Washington should be more objective on issues related to China's Confucius Institute amid discussions of a bill that would require the non-profit's cultural centers to register as "foreign agents" in the United States.

Sputnik

"As for the statements voiced by certain people in the United States in regards to the Confucius Institute, I think that it may disappoint China to some extent. The statements of certain people in the United States are nothing but a reflection of their own stance on the world and on development of China… We hope that these people will set aside their outdated concepts and be objective in their judgments about the development of China and of the world," Hua told reporters in response to a corresponding question.

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The Foreign Influence Transparency Act is currently under consideration in the US Congress. Within the framework of the act, a number of institutions that receive foreign funding and operate on US soil, including the Confucius Institute's centers, would be obliged to register under the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) if they promote the political agenda of foreign governments.

The diplomat added that the goal of the Confucius Institute was to promote cooperation between China and other countries in the spheres of education and culture, as well as push forward efforts aimed at promoting mutual understanding and friendship between nations.