China's Confucius Institutes—once a powerful tool of soft power—are rebranding in the wake of widespread backlash. China launched the institutes in 2004 as partnerships with colleges and universities, which would host Chinese government-selected teachers who taught Chinese government-funded courses. Now, with more than 40 colleges and universities in the United States having closed their Confucius Institutes amidst warnings from the FBI, the State Department, and members of Congress, China is adapting its tactics, with major implications for how the United States should respond.
Read Full Article »
