The University of Maryland and China: a shared history. Furthermore, the central control exerted on regulatory mechanisms of Chinas movie policy, in view of the decentralization and lack of control in the U.S. market especially considering the growing Chinese investment in Hollywood ( Shambaugh 2013Shambaugh, D. China goes global: the partial power . such as Arabic, Chinese, Russian, Hindi, Farsi and others, sponsored by already existing language programs, among them Chinese ( Switzer 2018Switzer, A. 3, (2014): 324-349. doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/10646175.2014.925311, Hubbert, J. 2. ed. 4 (2016): 655-680. doi: https://doi.org/10.1093/isr/viw007 London: Routledge, 2018. Confucius institutes: multiple reactions and interactions. China: An International Journal 12, no. According to Xi Jinping, a new rhetorical system should be developed in order to facilitate mutual understanding between China and the rest of the world, so as to ultimately promote Chinese soft power ( Hu et al. ). Furthermore, Hanban might provide learning aids and send Chinese teachers. ). ), improved its domestic cultural industries, and started investing in film studios ( Kokas 2017Kokas, A. Hollywood made in China . The debate on the use of cultural diplomacy as an instrument of international insertion conforms to the increased value given to cultural soft power by the Chinese government in the 21 st Century. Sahlins (2018)Sahlins, M. Interview with Elizabeth Redden: Closing a Confucius Institute, at Congressmens request. Inside Higher Ed , April 09, 2018. https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2018/04/09/texas-am-cuts-ties-confucius-institutes-response-congressmens-concerns Many academics opposed this criticism. 15 https://doi.org/10.1177/2059436416662037 Finally, the report proposes that the U.S. Congress opens an investigation on CIs, in order to find out whether North American interests were being threatened by these institutions, as well as to evaluate the risks to national security ( Peterson 2017Peterson, R. Outsourced to China: Confucius Institutes and soft power in American higher education: a report by the National Association of Scholars. National Association of Scholars , April, 2017. An alternative framework of analysis to investigate Chinas Confucius Institutes: a great leap outward with Chinese characteristics? From the outside in: CCTV going global in a new world communication order. In Chinas media go global , edited by D. K. Thussu, H. Burgh, and A. Shi. 3 (2008): 32-46. (Thesis PhD in philosophy, University of Central Lancashire, 2017). London: Routledge, 2018. ; Yang 2018Yang, S. X. However, there is strong evidence that the Chinese government will continue to act so that Chinese stories are heard, their voices are disseminated, and their characteristics are well explained ( Xi 2014Xi, J. While this did not occur, NAS suggested intermediary steps, especially those related to transparency and control on CIs. London: Routledge, 2018. The letter stated that it was the citizens responsibility to defend the values of freedom of expression and democracy in the U.S. He claimed that they took advantage of the open environment for research to collect information for the Chinese government and influence North American public opinion. ). 4 (2010): 493-524. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.orbis.2010.07.002. Political science research methods. Soft power with Chinese characteristics. In Chinese soft power and its implications for the United States: competition and cooperation in the developing world: a report of the CSIS smart power initiative , edited by C. McGiffert, 10-26. . ). ), these outlets have been partially successful. China to promote cultural soft power. China Daily , January 1, 2014. http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2014-01/01/content_17208365.htm, USC Center of Public Diplomacy - CPD. ). ). Soft power with Chinese characteristics. In Chinese soft power and its implications for the United States: competition and cooperation in the developing world: a report of the CSIS smart power initiative , edited by C. McGiffert, 10-26. This has led to growing investments on instruments of Chinese cultural diplomacy (media, cinema, and CIs). Oxford: Reuter Institute, 2014. ); the less evident distinction between public diplomacy and propaganda ( Hartig 2016Hartig, F. How China understands public diplomacy: the importance of national image for national interests. International Studies Review 18, no. According to Eric Hayot (2014)Hayot, E. Interview with Elizabeth Redden: another Confucius Institute to close. Inside Higher Ed , October 1, 2014. https://www.insidehighered.com/quicktakes/2014/10/01/another-confucius-institute-close She also adds: is it not contradictory to criticize censorship by censoring Chinese voices? According to the article, Xu Lin supposedly told the universitys administration that, if they wanted to terminate their contract with CI, she would concur. Ambiguous states: Confucius Institutes and Chinese soft power in the US classroom. PoLAR: Political and Legal Anthropology Review 37, no. ). For Kokas (2017)Kokas, A. Hollywood made in China . London: Routledge Taylor & Francis Group, 2012. Introduction. In New directions in the study of Chinas foreign policy , edited by R. Ross and A. I. Johnston. https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2018 There were suspicions that CIs aimed to project an official version of the country, which would serve as Chinese Communist Regime propaganda. 2014)Levine, S., M. Mecacci, M. Hill, Z. Daojiong, S. E. Hanson, and M. Gallagher The debate over Confucius Institutes in the United States. Foreign Policy, July 11, 2014. http://foreignpolicy.com/2014/07/11/the-debate-over-confucius-institutes-in-the-united-states/ Sweet, D. L. The art of winning hearts and minds: explaining divergent outcomes of Confucius Institutes in the US . China as a persuader: CCTV Africas first steps in the African mediasphere., Gerring, J. 1940 Statement of Principles on Academic Freedom and Tenure. has spoken of a no-win situation in which it is expected of the CIs to promote events on Taiwan and Tibet to prove that they do not censure those topics, but if they present the Chinese Communist Partys perspective, it is seen as suspect propaganda -, Liu (2017Liu, X. 17 ; Thussu 2018Thussu, D. K. Globalization of the Chinese Media: the global context. In Chinas media go global , edited by D. K. Thussu, H. Burgh, and A. Shi. Yang, S. X. Kokas has highlighted that granting control of Hollywood blockbusters to Chinese censors marks a tipping point in Hollywoods relationship with China. , then director of Sigur Center for Asian Studies from The George Washington University, in Washington DC, the biggest problem with criticism towards CIs is that it often jumps from suspicion to conclusion, while repeating some anecdotal cases to support broader accusations that CIs might have a negative impact on academic life in the U.S. In May 2016, Chinese President Xi Jinping stated that, after China had solved its populations problems, which was victim to hunger and foreign violence throughout history, it was time the country stopped being reprimanded by the international community. ibid . This was empirically confirmed by Hubbert (2014)Hubbert, J. Plymouth: Lexington Books, 2008. ; Rabinovitch 2008Rabinovitch, S. The rise of an image-conscious China. China Security 4, no. As a result of the augmented value of culture in soft power, the term is gradually being substituted by cultural soft power, whereas culture then would include values of Marxism and socialism as Chinese characteristics, as well as elements of Western culture transformed and adapted to Chinas cultural system ( Kong 2015Kong, D. Imaging China: Chinas cultural diplomacy through loan exhibitions to British museums. 4 https://doi.org/10.1111/plar.12078 Confucius Institutes: hardly a threat to academic freedoms. The Diplomat , March 27, 2014. https://thediplomat.com/2014/03/confucius-institutes-hardly-a-threat-to-academic-freedoms/ Zhang, X., Z. Guo. The term cultural soft power is gradually replacing the terms soft power and cultural diplomacy in China. https://doi.org/10.1111/0162-895X.00165 Michael Hill, then director in the Center for Asian Studies in the University of South Carolina, has highlighted that the CI was indispensable for creating the courses, and added that he never witnessed any attempts of political interference in the university by the Institute ( Levine et al. https://www.thenation.com/article/china- doi: https://doi.org/10.1177/1742766518759797. (EN), Rev. https://doi.org/10.1111/plar.12078 https://doi.org/10.1177/1742766518759797 The concept of soft power, created by Joseph Nye in 1990, has had repercussions within both Chinese academia and political discourse. Co-production between Chinese studios and Hollywood has become increasingly common: between 2002 and 2013, 41 films were co-produced ( Thussu 2018Thussu, D. K. Globalization of the Chinese Media: the global context. In Chinas media go global , edited by D. K. Thussu, H. Burgh, and A. Shi. Hubbert (2014)Hubbert, J. Soft power with Chinese characteristics. In Chinese soft power and its implications for the United States: competition and cooperation in the developing world: a report of the CSIS smart power initiative , edited by C. McGiffert, 10-26. According to Wang Huning, soft power is the culture that represents a countrys power. The persistence of Chinas strategies to improve its outlets quality and credibility with exchange programs between local and international journalists for example ( Hartig 2018Hartig, F. China Daily: Beijings global voice? In Chinas media go global , edited by D. K. Thussu, H. Burgh, and A. Shi. 2 (2011): 7-24. doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/02560046.2011.552203 https://doi.org/10.1080/02560054.2013.83 Kong, D. Imaging China: Chinas cultural diplomacy through loan exhibitions to British museums. https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2018 Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2013. https://doi.org/10.1177/1742766518759797 CIs contributions to enhance U.S. knowledge of Chinese language and culture were barely reported. On the other hand, its largest weakness is the political issue, which combined with the human rights issue, is not compatible with the Western perspective, and tends to weaken global public opinion of China. Confucius institutes in the US: platform of promoting Chinas soft power. Global Chinese 3, no. 1 Million Strong. Confucius Institutes and the limitations of Chinas global cultural network. China Information 30, no. Soft power in a hard place: China, Taiwan, cross-strait relations and US policy. Orbis 54, no. She analyzed how parents and students regarded the Chinese State, the teachers and the CIs teaching material. David Shambaugh (2018)Shambaugh, D. The end of U.S. engagement with China? In June 2014, the American Association of University Professors (AAUP) published a report 14 https://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/ Leung, C.-C., and H. D. Cros. Overall, criticism to CIs in the early months of 2018, made amid tensions between China and the U.S. which Sahlins (2018)Sahlins, M. Interview with Elizabeth Redden: Closing a Confucius Institute, at Congressmens request. Inside Higher Ed , April 09, 2018. https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2018/04/09/texas-am-cuts-ties-confucius-institutes-response-congressmens-concerns He also stated that the FBI views not only the Chinese government, but all Chinese society as a threat; therefore, the case demands a response from the North American society as a whole. Hold high the great banner of socialism with Chinese characteristics and strive for new victories in building a moderately prosperous society in all., Hu, Z., D. Ji, Ambiguities in communicating with the world: the Going-out policy of Chinas media and its multilayered contexts., Hu, Z., D. Ji, and Y. Gong. Plymouth: Lexington Books, 2008. ; Cao 2011Cao, Q. In this context, CIs might serve as ammunition for critics of China, but could also possibly strengthen ties between the two countries. Ambiguous states: Confucius Institutes and Chinese soft power in the US classroom., I write with regards to growing foreign influence operations of the Peoples Republic of China (PRC). Singapura: Springer, 2017. , apparently Nyes understanding of culture is too strict, because there are supposedly no political values or foreign policies without culture. https://doi.org/10.1111/plar.12078 London: Routledge, 2018. At the moment, despite strong Chinese investments, its means of communication have still not been able to come close to the great international media outlets. London: Routledge, 2018. On partnerships with foreign governments: the case of Confucius Institutes. 2014 They thus recommended that all universities either terminate their engagements with CIs or renegotiate agreements with Hanban to ensure more autonomy. In this sense, cultural diplomacy would thereby raise knowledge about China abroad, which contributes to lowering tensions and creating a more favorable environment for Chinas international insertion. An alternative framework of analysis to investigate Chinas Confucius Institutes: a great leap outward with Chinese characteristics? Oxford: Reuter Institute, 2014. 3 (2018). Closing a Confucius Institute, at Congressmens request. 2018. ). interviewed many CI teachers and, according to her, all of them said that in the Hanban -organized pre-departure training, they were instructed to respond with the official rhetoric or change the subject when politically sensitive discussions came up in the classroom. Due to its presence in universities, it was even suggested that CIs represented a risk for academic freedom and freedom of expression. 9 13 2 (2014): 329-349. doi: https://doi.org/10.1111/plar.12078 8 https://doi.org/10.1111/0162-895X.00165 https://doi.org/10.1017/S000305540400118 https://doi.org/10.1080/02560046.2011.55 https://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/ https://doi.org/10.1080/17544750.2011.64 https://www.economist.com/node/15607496 https://doi.org/10.1080/02560054.2013.83 https://doi.org/10.1177/1742766518759797 https://doi.org/10.1177/2059436416662037 http://www.chinafile.com/conversation/do https://doi.org/10.1016/j.orbis.2010.07. http://foreignpolicy.com/2014/07/11/the- https://www.thenation.com/article/china- https://doi.org/10.1177/0920203X16672167 https://www.insidehighered.com/quicktake http://foreignpolicy.com/2018/03/20/new- https://thediplomat.com/2014/03/confuciu https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2018 https://www.brookings.edu/wp-content/upl https://doi.org/10.1080/10646175.2014.92 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2014- http://100kstrong.org/initiatives/1-million-strong/, https://www.aaup.org/report/1940-statement-principles-academic-freedom-and-tenure, http://foreignpolicy.com/2018/03/20/new-house-bill-takes-aim-at-foreign-propaganda-russia-today-foreign-agent-manafort-fara/, https://doi.org/10.1080/02560046.2011.552203, https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2018/04/09/texas-am-cuts-ties-confucius-institutes-response-congressmens-concerns, http://english.hanban.org/node_8399.htm, http://english.hanban.org/node_7880.htm#no4, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.orbis.2010.07.002, https://doi.org/10.1177/2059436416662037, https://doi.org/10.1080/02560054.2013.834835, https://doi.org/10.1017/S0003055404001182, https://www.insidehighered.com/quicktakes/2014/10/01/another-confucius-institute-close, http://www.latimes.com/opinion/op-ed/la-oe-daly-hollywood-20161007-snap-story.html, http://www.china.org.cn/english/congress/229611.htm, https://doi.org/10.1080/17544750.2011.647741, https://www.rubio.senate.gov/public/_cache/files/34f01f9b-a642-4078-af7e-32536bfe7c25/7AA114B69F9469BFEBD47B5F71D65072.final-approved-letter-text-to-fl-universities.pdf, https://doi.org/10.1177/1742766518759797, http://www.chinafile.com/conversation/does-chinese-investment-pose-threat-hollywood, http://foreignpolicy.com/2014/07/11/the-debate-over-confucius-institutes-in-the-united-states/, https://doi.org/10.1080/10646175.2014.925311, https://mccaul.house.gov/sites/mccaul.house.gov/files/Confucius%20Institute%20Letter%20to%20Texas%20Colleges%2C%20Universities%2C%20and%20Other%20Educational%20Institutions.pdf, https://thediplomat.com/2014/03/confucius-institutes-hardly-a-threat-to-academic-freedoms/, https://www.insidehighered.com/quicktakes/2018/02/06/more-scrutiny-confucius-institutes-one-close, https://2001-2009.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2006/58733.htm, https://www.aaup.org/report/confucius-institutes, http://english.hanban.org/node_10971.htm, https://www.intelligence.senate.gov/hearings/open-hearing-worldwide-threats-hearing-1, https://www.thenation.com/article/china-u/, https://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/china/2015-06-16/china-s-soft-power-push, https://www.brookings.edu/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/fp_20180307_us_china_transcript.pdf, https://news.uchicago.edu/article/2014/09/25/statement-confucius-institute-university-chicago, https://www.economist.com/node/15607496, http://globalmaryland.umd.edu/offices/china/timeline, https://doi.org/10.1111/0162-895X.00165, http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2014-01/01/content_17208365.htm, https://doi.org/10.1177/0920203X16672167. Sun (2015)Sun, W. Slow boat from China: public discourses behind the going global media policy. International Journal of Cultural Policy 21, no. ). https://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/ Chinas cultural projection: a discussion of the Confucius Institutes., Glaser, B. S., M. E. Murphy. doi: https://doi.org/10.1177/1742766518759797

This is one more reason for the present study, which will investigate the implementation of Chinese cultural diplomacy in the following section. If CI teachers are accused of ignoring or avoiding these topics, will they be encouraged to enter the discussion and make Chinas voice be heard? According to Edward A. McCord (2014)McCord, E. A. Still in March 2018, a bill was sent for debate in Congress which might have repercussions on CIs. Soft power with Chinese characteristics. In Chinese soft power and its implications for the United States: competition and cooperation in the developing world: a report of the CSIS smart power initiative , edited by C. McGiffert, 10-26. An alternative framework of analysis to investigate Chinas Confucius Institutes: a great leap outward with Chinese characteristics? Johnson, J. To help mitigate this impasse, further research on the role played by cultural diplomacy in international relations might be essential. From the outside in: CCTV going global in a new world communication order. In, Hubbert, J. https://doi.org/10.1177/0920203X16672167 (Dissertation Masters in Asian Studies, School of Arts and Sciences, Georgetown University, 2018). The three patterns of Chinese International Communication. In Chinas media go global , edited by D. K. Thussu, H. Burgh, and A. Shi. New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2016. The consequences of Confucius Institutes: understanding the opposition . 4 Wang Huning is said to be the one responsible for introducing Nyes writings into China in 1993 ( Xiao 2017Xiao, Y. In practice, China uses means of public and cultural diplomacy similar to other countries, such as the media, cinema, and cultural instruments. 7 Introduction. In New directions in the study of Chinas foreign policy , edited by R. Ross and A. I. Johnston.

Chinas cultural projection: a discussion of the Confucius Institutes. China: An International Journal 13, no. Soft Power and the worldwide promotion of Chinese language learning: the Confucius Institute project . , Gil 2015Gil, J. The language of soft power: mediating socio-political meanings in the Chinese media. Critical Arts: South-North Cultural and Media Studies , 25, no. 4 (2016): 278-294. doi: https://doi.org/10.1177/2059436416662037, Landreth, J., S. Rosen, A. Kokas, and V. Ni. 4 (2016): 655-680. doi: https://doi.org/10.1093/isr/viw007 Ambiguous states: Confucius Institutes and Chinese soft power in the US classroom. PoLAR: Political and Legal Anthropology Review 37, no. The case studies evoked in this section have shown many different perceptions of the larger or smaller presence of the Chinese state in CIs operations. has stated that, despite Hanban s efforts to present an exclusively historical and apolitical content, the day to day affairs were not always predictable. 4 (2015): 400-418. states that although the expansion and internationalization of the Chinese media was effectuated in order to tell the Chinese story to the world and diminish the difference between its self-image and the worlds perception of China, paradoxically, Chinese actions became a new source of anxiety for the West. 2 (2011): 7-24. doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/02560046.2011.552203

2018Hu, Z., D. Ji, and Y. Gong. https://www.brookings.edu/wp-content/upl Oakland: University of California Press, 2017. , there has been a remarkable increase in Chinese censors ability to shape co-productions with Hollywood. In this environment of growing debate on CIs, a petition in the University of Chicago was launched demanding the contract with the local CI not being renewed, which should take place in 2014. Discussions on soft power in China became more sophisticated after academics began to analyze soft power in the context of society and the countrys peaceful development, which also can be described as soft power with Chinese characteristics ( Glaser and Murphy 2009Glaser, B. S., M. E. Murphy. In response to the congressmens letter, in early April, Texas A&M announced it would not renew its contract with the CI, as suggested. Yuan, Z., J. Guo, and H. Zhu. Washington, DC: CSIS, 2009. ; Cao 2011Cao, Q. Polt. https://doi.org/10.1111/plar.12078 However, as McCord (2014)McCord, E. A.

; Kong 2015Kong, D. Imaging China: Chinas cultural diplomacy through loan exhibitions to British museums. Thussu, D. K. Globalization of the Chinese Media: the global context. In Chinas media go global , edited by D. K. Thussu, H. Burgh, and A. Shi. Plymouth: Lexington Books, 2008. This growing interest impacted government actions, such as the National Security Language Initiative, 11 By analyzing the historical use of cultural soft power in other countries, Zhang (2017)Zhang, G. Research outline for Chinas cultural soft power . [] Instead, China has saved the world in 2012 and The Martian. 2 (thesis PhD in philosophy, School of Museum Studies University of Leicester, 2015). ). China went from the 30 th position in 2015 to 28 th in 2016, and reached the 25 th in 2017. ). . London: Routledge, 2018. Therefore, Hubbert (2014)Hubbert, J. Thousand Oaks: Sage, 2016. ; Gerring 2004Gerring, J. 2016Johnson, J. However, the professor claims that it is indeed possible to improve transparency of CIs in campi , through more attentive supervision of contracts between them and their host universities in the U.S. The consequences of Confucius Institutes: understanding the opposition . Besides, the economic factor must be seen with caution, as case studies have shown that CIs are not the plentiful source of money that some claim. ; Ding 2008Ding, S. The dragons hidden wings: how China rises with its soft power . The subject is situated within the field of Foreign Policy Analysis (FPA), according to which culture is a dynamic force and a factor in power struggle ( Hudson 2014Hudson, V. M. Foreign policy analysis: classic and contemporary theory . This is related to the dual function of Chinese cultural diplomacy, which is seen as a fundamental strategy to compensate for the cultural hegemony of Western countries, and to counterbalance cultural modernization and westernization within China while maintaining security and cultural cohesion at home ( Kong 2015Kong, D. Imaging China: Chinas cultural diplomacy through loan exhibitions to British museums.

It must be highlighted, that the opening of hundreds of new CIs, combined with extensive international branding initiatives, strengthened the countrys cultural offer. https://www.insidehighered.com/quicktake In early February, Republican Senator from Florida Marco Rubio wrote a letter to four universities in his state asking them to close down their CIs, since they were supposedly part of an aggressive Chinese campaign to repress the freedom of research and to subvert liberties 16 Plymouth: Lexington Books, 2008. http://foreignpolicy.com/2014/07/11/the- This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. ). Stanford: Stanford University Press, 2006. http://foreignpolicy.com/2018/03/20/new- Confucius Institutes and the limitations of Chinas global cultural network., Zhang, X., Z. Guo. He sees CIs as benign institutions devoted to the main mission of teaching the language and cultural studies, films, cooking, tai chi and other activities. In 2007, then President Hu Jintao highlighted, before the 17th Chinese Communist Party National Congress, that culture is a growing source of social cohesion and creativity, as well as a factor of increasing importance in the strengthening of comprehensive national power (Hu 2007). Oakland: University of California Press, 2017. In the movie Transformers: Age of Extinction (2014), produced by Paramount with the help from Jiaflix Enterprises and China Movie Channel (owned by CCTV), the script was tempered in order to respect Chinese censors. The Soft Power 30 . 17 2 (2014): 66-86. The use of culture as a political element links directly with the question we seek to answer in this article: how did the Chinese government use cultural diplomacy in its strategy for international insertion in the 21 st Century? B., H. T. Reynolds, and J. D. Mycoff. https://www.brookings.edu/wp-content/upl ibid . Notwithstanding the difference between the cases of the University of Chicago and of Pennsylvania, their simultaneity enhanced criticism of CIs, and exaggerated the cases real meaning, as well as their potential effect on other CIs ( Sweet 2017Sweet, D. L. The art of winning hearts and minds: explaining divergent outcomes of Confucius Institutes in the US . 2 (2014): 329-349. doi: https://doi.org/10.1111/plar.12078 Political science research methods. On the other hand, there are particularities in Chinas conceptions of soft power and cultural diplomacy, such as: valuing culture in the concept of soft power which leads to the concept of cultural soft power ( Ding 2008Ding, S. The dragons hidden wings: how China rises with its soft power . Washington, DC: CSIS, 2009. ; Lai 2012Lai, H. Chinas cultural diplomacy: going for soft power. In Chinas soft power and international relations, edited by L. Hongyi, and L. Yiyi, 83-103. Furthermore, the CI did not provide much support to the already robust Chinese language program in the university, which did not make use of the teachers and teaching material sent by Hanban .

4 (1999): 701-723. doi: https://doi.org/10.1111/0162-895X.00165.

Therefore, CIs have no impact in Chinese studies, which is a misperception of journalists ( Shambaugh 2018Shambaugh, D. The end of U.S. engagement with China? Later, the University of Chicago published a statement declaring that the comments made by Hanban s director were incompatible with the continuation of the partnership on equal conditions, thus terminating negotiations to renew the contract with the CI, which eventually closed. 5 The first CI opened its doors in November 2004 in Seoul, South Korea ( Gil 2017Gil, J. Therefore, the work the CI could perform was restricted to few cultural activities inside and outside campus, such as performances by Chinese troupes and support to community events. China to promote cultural soft power. China Daily , January 1, 2014. http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2014-01/01/content_17208365.htm Confucius Institutes: hardly a threat to academic freedoms. The Diplomat , March 27, 2014. https://thediplomat.com/2014/03/confucius-institutes-hardly-a-threat-to-academic-freedoms/, Sahlins, M. Interview with Elizabeth Redden: Closing a Confucius Institute, at Congressmens request. Inside Higher Ed , April 09, 2018. https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2018/04/09/texas-am-cuts-ties-confucius-institutes-response-congressmens-concerns, Shambaugh, D. The end of U.S. engagement with China? Therefore, from an academic perspective, it has been argued that comprehending conceptual nuances and differences in approach might make the analysis of Chinese cultural diplomacy more objective and pragmatic. https://thediplomat.com/2014/03/confuciu Thousand Oaks: Sage, 2016. 1940 Statement of Principles on Academic Freedom and Tenure., Allen-Ebrahimian, B., E. Groll, and R. Gramer. In 2018, there came a new wave of criticism against CIs in the U.S. 3 (2013): 25-40. doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/02560054.2013.834835. Bristol: Blue Ridge Summit, 2017. Introduction. In, Sahlins, M. Interview with Elizabeth Redden: Closing a Confucius Institute, at Congressmens request., Shambaugh, D. Chinas soft-power push: the search for respect., Statement on the Confucius Institute at the University of Chicago., Sun, W. Slow boat from China: public discourses behind the going global media policy., The University of Maryland and China: ashared history., Thussu, D. K. Globalization of the Chinese Media: the global context. In, Wilkening, K. E. Culture and Japanese citizen influence on the transboundary air pollution issue in northeast Asia., Xi, J. Bristol: Blue Ridge Summit, 2017. 4 (1999): 701-723. doi: https://doi.org/10.1111/0162-895X.00165 (thesis PhD in philosophy, School of Museum Studies University of Leicester, 2015). https://www.brookings.edu/wp-content/upl 4 (2016): 655-680. doi: https://doi.org/10.1093/isr/viw007