Topic: Hanban

Rochelle Peterson of the National Association of Scholars explains how Confucius Institutes serve as propaganda centers on global campuses. While there were once 110 institutes in the U.S., the number has dropped to 75 following a societal backlash. Schools like the University of Texas have cut ties, but others like the University of Arkansas maintain active programs despite concerns over CCP-vetted teachers.

The Hanban provides approximately $150,000 in annual grants to host universities, covering operating costs and providing free textbooks. Because the Chinese government pays teacher salaries directly, universities can offer credit-bearing classes at almost no cost while charging students full tuition. This financial arrangement often leads to university presidents receiving lavish treatment during speaking tours in China.

To stymie international criticism, the Hanban is rebranding as the "Ministry of Education Center for Language Exchange and Cooperation." Confucius Institutes are being spun off into a supposedly non-profit "Chinese International Education Foundation." Simultaneously, federal agencies are investigating dozens of researchers at NASA and the NIH for undisclosed participation in China's "Thousand Talents Plan."