Key facts
- China opposes US "smearing and stigmatisation" of Confucius Institutes.
- The US Defense Department designated Confucius Institutes as a national security threat.
- US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth alleged the institutes were propaganda cells.
- The Pentagon claims the institutes aimed to steal intellectual property and infiltrate students' minds.
China's foreign ministry stated on Monday that it opposes the US "smearing and stigmatisation" of Confucius Institutes, following the US Defense Department's designation of the cultural centers as a national security threat on Friday. Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said educational exchanges are mutually beneficial and deepen understanding. US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth alleged the institutes were disguised propaganda cells operating at universities, aimed at stealing intellectual property and influencing students. He stated the Pentagon had dismantled these organizations over the past two months. China's Xinhua news agency described the designation as an "absurd overreach" driven by anti-China sentiment ahead of midterm elections.