The United Kingdom is looking to phase out China-backed Confucius Institutes as countries break from programs sponsored by the Communist nation.
The U.K. is looking to hire Taiwanese teachers to teach Mandarin Chinese classes in place of the institutes, which have attracted criticism from Republicans for their ties to the Chinese Communist Party, per a report from the Guardian.
WATCH: MAN TACKLED TO THE GROUND BY POLICE AFTER RUNNING AT QUEEN ELIZABETH’S CASKET IN LONDON
The Confucius Institute, part of China’s various foreign interference campaigns, looks to promote the CCP abroad while promising to teach Chinese language and culture.
The programs have been shut down across the United States after Congress and intelligence agencies expressed their concerns with the institutes.
The U.K. has given 24 million British pounds in funding to teaching Mandarin Chinese via Confucius Institutes from 2015 to 2024, according to the China Research Group.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
The move toward closer relations with Taiwan comes as the U.K. reportedly told the de facto Taiwanese representative to the U.K. she was “specially invited” to sign the condolence book for Queen Elizabeth II organized by the government, despite the country not having diplomatic relations with Taiwan. China is sending Vice President Wang Qishan to the queen’s state funeral.
