Rishi Sunak has rescinded a pledge to ban Confucius Institutes from operating in the UK, the latest sign the prime minister is trying to improve relations with Beijing.
His retreat was criticized by former prime minister Truss, who, in a speech in Taiwan on Wednesday, urged Sunak to explicitly label China a “threat”.
However, Sunak is working to improve economic relations with China, with Downing Street admitting it would be “disproportionate” to close Beijing’s cultural and linguistic outposts in the UK.
British officials are aware that any move against the Confucius Institutes would almost certainly invite retaliation from Beijing, including against the British Council, a public body that provides cultural services around the world.
Sunak claimed last year that China was “infiltrating” British universities during his first campaign as Conservative leader and that he would ban Confucius Institutes if he became prime minister.
These are Chinese organizations that operate around the world, offering Mandarin classes at universities and schools and hosting cultural events. In the UK, there are 30 Confucius Institutes in universities such as Manchester, Sheffield and Southampton. Some Confucius Institutes are also involved in programs funded by the Ministry of Education to offer Mandarin classes in schools.
Speaking at the Taiwan Vision Foundation, Truss drew attention to Sunak’s hawkish language in last summer’s Conservative leadership race – which she won – and said he should follow through on his promises.
“Confucius Institutes in the UK should be closed immediately. Instead, this service can be provided by organizations supported by Hong Kongers and Taiwanese who freely come to the UK.”
But Downing Street said: “We are taking action to remove all government funding for Confucius Institutes in the UK, but at this stage judge it disproportionate to ban them.
“Like any international institution operating in the UK, the Confucius Institute needs to operate transparently within the law and fully committed to our values of openness and free speech.
“We recognize concerns about overseas interference in our higher education sector, including through Confucius Institutes, and regularly assess the risks to academia.”
Sunak is seeking to limit any security risks posed by China in British industrial supply chains, but is also seeking to strengthen economic ties in other areas.
This month, Sunak sent his trade secretary, Lord Dominic Johnson, to Hong Kong, the first British minister to visit a former British territory since 2018.
China’s embassy in London called Truss’ visit to Taiwan a “dangerous political stunt”, adding it would “only hurt the UK”.
Britain’s crackdown on Confucius Institutes has been relatively cautious: Of the 13 Confucius Institutes in the United States in March, 108 were closed or in the process of closing, according to the National Association of Scholars, a lobby group, although some have since changed names.