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Thread: Chinese spend thousands persuading US schools to promote their language, culture

  1. #1

    Chinese spend thousands persuading US schools to promote their language, culture

    In 2005, Chinese officials were trying to open a Confucius Institute at the University of Oklahoma and invited Paul Bell Jr., the then-College of Arts and Sciences dean, to fly to a conference in Beijing as “one of our special guests.”

    The effort was part of a long-running campaign to persuade U.S. schools to promote Chinese culture. In the past decade, the Chinese have opened hundreds of the institutes and classrooms in universities, high schools and even elementary schools in the United States and around the world in an attempt to teach Chinese language, culture and to increase cultural understanding.

    But, as Watchdog.org reported in October, a growing number of academics caution the institutes are propaganda arms of the Chinese government.

    The Chinese paid more than $2,000 to fly Bell to China and an unknown amount more for lodging, records obtained by Watchdog.org under state open records laws show.

    “I am glad to write you to express my appreciation of your support for Chinese Learning Program in your university,” Weiping Zha, director of the education office at the Chinese Consulate in Houston, wrote to Bell, offering to pay travel expenses for the conference. Xu Lin, director of the Chinese office of foreign language (Hanban) also sent what appears to be a form letter expressing similar sentiments.

    A year later, as Bell led the effort to establish the institute on campus, the consulate again paid most of the travel expenses — also thousands of dollars — for Bell to fly to China and discuss implementation of the institute, records show. Hanban covered airfare, accommodations, meals and tour expenses, the invitation noted.

    Along with language and culture, the institutes teach the positive aspects of China. But they clamp down on any attempts to discuss problems — such as Tibet and Taiwan — and human rights violations — such as Falun Gong — in the world’s largest country, professors critical of the program and the American Association of University Professors contend.

    University of Chicago anthropology professor Marshall Sahlins, who recently helped persuade his school to end its relationship with CI, said the travel and perks are just one of the economic tactics China is using to pressure U.S. schools, including threatening to pull the Chinese accreditation of some schools that receive a lot of tuition from Chinese students.
    http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2015...guage-culture/



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  3. #2
    So what is the ultimate goal for them? Trying to compete with the dominance of Western Culture and English?

  4. #3
    Thousands? WOW! (LOL!)

  5. #4
    We should be trying to learn about Chinese culture and the Chinese language on our own. That they will PAY to promote learning about one of the most ancient and economically important cultures and languages seems like a pretty good deal. Why would they be expected to teach about their own flaws? The Peace Corps doesn't explain American crony-capitalism, imperialsim, and police brutality where they go.
    The proper concern of society is the preservation of individual freedom; the proper concern of the individual is the harmony of society.

    "Who would be free, themselves must strike the blow." - Byron

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  6. #5
    Quote Originally Posted by Acala View Post
    We should be trying to learn about Chinese culture and the Chinese language on our own. That they will PAY to promote learning about one of the most ancient and economically important cultures and languages seems like a pretty good deal. Why would they be expected to teach about their own flaws? The Peace Corps doesn't explain American crony-capitalism, imperialsim, and police brutality where they go.
    I wish I knew how to speak a Chinese language. I wish more Americans did.
    Those who want liberty must organize as effectively as those who want tyranny. -- Iyad el Baghdadi

  7. #6
    lol I take Mandarin classes from a CI teacher. I think what they're doing is pretty cool. Just another way to overcome cultural divides

  8. #7
    Quote Originally Posted by Ronin Truth View Post
    Thousands? WOW! (LOL!)
    I think it's thousands per. Still, the headline is awkwardly worded.
    I too have been a close observer of the doings of the Bank of the United States...When you won, you divided the profits amongst you, and when you lost, you charged it to the bank...You are a den of vipers and thieves. I have determined to rout you out, and by the Eternal, I will rout you out!

    Andrew Jackson, 1834

  9. #8
    I was hired recently by a Chinese school to teach English. Once I'm over there, I will earn a nice salary and receive free Mandarin lessons, not to mention the lessons, Mandarin and otherwise, that I will learn in my daily life over there. The only problem is getting a visa, which is proving to be somewhat troublesome.
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