Pentagon Labels Confucius Institutes a Security Threat
SingTao · 2 SOURCES1 day ago2 MIN
Summary
The US Department of Defense has formally classified Confucius Institutes operating on American university campuses as a threat to national security. Defense Secretary Hegseth said the centres, which he described as funded by the Chinese government and used for propaganda, had continued to function under different names despite earlier pressure from Washington to shut them down.
Key Points
- Hegseth announced the designation in a video posted on social media on October 24, saying the Pentagon had added Confucius Institutes to its list of entities threatening US national security.
- He said investigators found 80 new organisations across 30 universities, operating under different names and charters but pursuing the same mission.
- According to Hegseth, those organisations aimed to steal intellectual property and influence or infiltrate the thinking of American students on campus.
- Hegseth said the Defense Department had spent the past two months systematically dismantling each of those organisations as part of a clearance effort.
- Washington has long accused Confucius Institutes of being Chinese propaganda tools, and Hegseth said many had continued operating covertly after being ordered closed earlier.
Why It Matters
For Hong Kong readers, the move shows US-China tensions continuing to play out inside universities and research networks, not only in diplomacy or trade. It also suggests tighter scrutiny of academic partnerships linked to China, especially where funding, research access and campus influence are concerned.