University of Montana to close campus Confucius Institute

MISSOULA, Mont. – The University of Montana has closed a campus centre for promoting Chinese language and culture.

The Missoulian reported Tuesday that the Confucius Institute at the University of Montana has closed.

The institute established in 2008 provided education, public programs and teacher training on Chinese language and culture in Montana.

The newspaper reports that U.S. lawmakers have expressed concerned that Confucius Institutes, which use funding from the Chinese government, have attempted to covertly influence American public opinion. At least 10 of the more than 90 institutes in the U.S. had closed as of January 2019.

The school says the offices of provost and president were involved in the decision made as part of an effort to set program priorities for the campus while addressing a budget shortfall.

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Information from: Missoulian, http://www.missoulian.com