November 6, 2015, by Tony Hong

The Cautious Seldom Make Mistakes: Chinese Culture Centres Learn from Confucius’s Mistakes

By Dr. Zhenzhi Guo

School of Journalism and Communication Tsinghua University.

Dr. Zhang Xiaoling,

School of Contemporary Chinese Studies University of Nottingham UK.

The worldwide spread of Confucius Institutes (CIs) has become a global phenomenon. Their partnership with prestigious universities has won it many friends, but at the same time, has attracted strong levels of criticism. Commentators accuse the CIs of being an arm of the Chinese government, which interferes with the academic freedom in partnered international universities. This has led to criticisms that the CIs merely advance the Chinese state’s political agenda in partnered Universities.

Overseas research indicates that the CI’S political goal is too overt and so is unable to avoid accusations of propaganda. In developing too rapidly, they have become a victim of their own success, by drawing too much attention and scrutiny.

However, the hopes of spreading Chinese Culture unhindered may lie with the little known Chinese Culture Centres (CCCs). Even though they were initiated much earlier in 1988, their prominence has been overshadowed by the CI Project. Unlike their counterparts, the CCCs have not provoked the same criticisms from western elites as they have adopted a “quieter but influential” role in public diplomacy. Operating in far more limited numbers, CCCs transmit Chinese culture, shape an international image of China and expands China’s influence in a more sophisticated manner.

CCCs are under the Ministry of Culture. They work together with local cultural organisations, thus avoiding any criticism that may interfere with academic freedom. They are individual centres that endeavour to enhance understanding and friendship with their host countries by holding cultural activities.

The main cultural products the centres try and market to the public are performances, exhibitions, art festivals, sports competitions and other cultural exchange activities. Language programs are also available. Although the CCCs are divisional level units affiliated with the Chinese Ministry of Culture, the way they are managed is different from their counterparts. One key difference is the use of both official and informal resources. The CCC makes use of their close relationship with Chinese civil society groups. The use of actors from non-government organisations puts the tools of public diplomacy directly into the hands of Chinese citizen and non-governmental organisations.

Through marketing cultural products without ‘official and political’ connotations, worldwide, high exposure events and activities such as Happy Chinese New Year have increased the social impact of Chinese culture in host countries without the taste of Chinese politics.

The CCCs have a wide range of social contacts and supporting institutions. Social contacts also include strong links with overseas Chinese diaspora. By utilising these resources, this network maximises the quality and quantity of cultural products that can be delivered to foreign publics for their consumption.

However, with CCCs going through a faster expansion phase, unless financial records are made transparent, accusations of Chinese government propaganda may rear its ugly head. FFf,ml;sdJoseph Nye points out the best public diplomacy issues forth from civil society. In this sense, because the CCCs are strongly linked to civil society groups, they have an advantage over the CIs.

The CCCs to develop differently to the CIs means that the impression of “aggressive” education expansion and impinging Western society’s deeply held values of “academic freedom” and “independent education” must be avoided to prevent friction with host countries.

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