Confucius Institute U.S. Center Responds to State Department

WASHINGTON, Aug. 18, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Last week, the Confucius Institute U.S. Center, Inc. (CIUS) received a letter from the U.S. Department of State designating CIUS as a foreign mission under United States law. (Official response here)

We would like to make it clear we are more than happy to work with the State Department and their request for more information surrounding our organization the same way we were during the GAO's investigation last year. Much of the information requested is either already publicly available or has been offered to the State Department multiple times in the past in a good faith effort to be transparent. We have also made multiple attempts to open our organization to the press to show that we, as a predominantly American staff, are committed to transparency.

Sadly, we have been seldom taken up on our offers to show the work we're doing and to allow our American students speak to their educational experiences through not only our organization, but also the independent, university-controlled Confucius Institute programs across the country. The fact that Mr. Pompeo's press release's tone is incongruent with the actual formal correspondence of the State Department with our office illustrates this disconnect between their genuine concern and political opportunists trying to win a news cycle.

"Apparently, we are living in a time where teaching a foreign language is seen as a political act by some people," said Gao Qing, Director of the Center. Although according to the State Department's official letter to our office, "the CIUS Center is not involved in diplomatic or consular activities, and its employees are not considered government officials or representatives," they decided to move forward with this decision anyway.  

As ironic as it sounds, our small team of mostly American staff is still being defined as a "foreign mission," said Erik Eging, a communications associate with the organization. "We are not a headquarters for American Confucius Institutes, but a small office in Washington, D.C. devoted to global education services and intercultural opportunities for American communities. People unhappy with a foreign government are taking out their frustrations on a language and cultural exchange program. While we understand their concerns, we will get a lot closer to addressing them by building bridges between our international communities through language and cultural exchange."

To learn more about the Confucius Institute and how the programs operate, visit www.ciuscenter.org.

MEDIA ALERT: To set up an interview or for more information, contact the CIUS Center at [email protected] 

The Confucius Institute U.S. Center is a (501)(c)(3) nonprofit organization that promotes the value of mutual understanding between the US and China through language education and cultural exchanges. Confucius Institute programs are operated independently by host colleges and universities to prepare the next generation of leaders through language, arts, culture, and educational travel experiences. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @CIUSCenter. 

SOURCE Confucius Institute U.S. Center