China opposes US smearing, stigmatization of Confucius Institutes

China opposes the smearing and stigmatization of Confucius Institutes, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said on Monday, after the United States designated the cultural centers as a national security threat.

Guo made the remarks at a regular news briefing when asked about the designation, announced on Friday by US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.

China-US educational exchanges and cooperation help enhance mutual understanding between the two peoples, Guo said, adding that such cooperation is two-way and mutually beneficial and should not be disrupted or undermined.