The Government of India is reportedly alarmed by the fact that some 'Chinese institutes' or the Indian institutes working in coordination with the Chinese authorities to run some 'cultural and language education centres' are virtually working as propaganda arms of Beijing.
Amid reports that some 'Confucius Institutes' are run to expand China's 'soft power', the Ministry of External Affairs on Thursday, Aug 6, said - "if any Indian institution were to enter into or has entered into an arrangement (with China) which would come under the purview of (government) guidelines, then it would require the approval of the Government (of India)".
MEA spokesman Anurag Srivastava told reporters in Delhi - "The Ministry of External Affairs had in 2009 issued detailed guidelines for establishment and functioning of Foreign Cultural Centres. These guidelines apply also to any cultural centre that is supported or sponsored by an autonomous foreign organisation, including any Confucius Centre".
He said, "Under these Guidelines, approval of MEA is required for any MoU/Agreement that such Centres might wish to enter into with an Indian organisation. Naturally, if any Indian institution were to enter into or has entered into an arrangement which would come under the purview of these guidelines, then it would require the approval of the Government".
He further said, as a corollary, if the approval "was not taken" when establishing such Centers then it was "not in conformity with the Guidelines". There have been reports in the western media that a few noted US colleges, including Pennsylvania State University and the University of Chicago, have cut ties with the Confucius institute after faculty members and professors complained that programmes were 'Chinese propaganda' in the garb of culture and language education.
The row about such Chinese organisations with their 'propaganda' values have been reported in countries like Sweden as well.
In fact, in April this year, the Sweden government had ordered closure of all Confucius Institutes following deteriorating ties with Beijing.
According to University Grants Commission (UGC) guidelines issued in 2019, any Indian college or institute keen for any formal understanding with Confucius institutes were advised to seek 'approval' from the Government of India - including from the Ministry of External Affairs and also Home.
Australia also has shut one of the Confucius Institute programmes from the public schools due to fears of foreign influence.
In the midst of these rows, Chinese authorities say there is no propaganda element as alleged and the Confucius Institute will remain a key government policy, a document on modernising China’s education system.
China launched a special programme for setting up the government-run bodies in 2004 stating that the goal is to satisfy growing global demand to 'learn Mandarin or Chinese language'.
In the US, however, it is said such institutes have been only carrying out propaganda of the ruling Communist Party of China.
Globally, it has been given by complainants in several countries that at Confucius Institutes, the 'politically sensitive issues' such as the Dalai Lama, Tibet, Taiwan and Tiananmen are hardly allowed to be publicly discussed or debated.
Around 550 Confucius Institutes have been opened worldwide, with about hundred of them in the United States. In the United Kingdom, there are 30 such institutes.
The Confucius Institutes are funded by the Ministry of Education of People’s Republic of China.
Confucius Institutes-run affiliated programmes in prestigious institutes such as University of Mumbai. various IITs, Vellore Institute of Technology; Lovely Professional University, Jalandhar; OP Jindal Global University, Sonepat and School of Chinese Language, Kolkata. "There is mounting evidence that the institutes’ learning materials distort contemporary Chinese history and omit party-induced humanitarian catastrophes such as the Great Leap Forward (1958-1961) and the Cultural Revolution (1966-1976) entirely," said a write up in 'Foreign Policy'.
The Embassy of China earlier this week in a statement said, “Indian relevant parties can treat Confucius Institutes and China-India higher education cooperation in an objective and fair manner, avoid politicising normal cooperation".
Meanwhile, an article in 'Global Times' says: "India closely follows the US in its China policy, and has even surpassed the US in some areas. India has taken the initiative to stand at the forefront of the so-called international anti-China campaign to contain and challenge China. China should not only pay close attention to such a tendency, but also resolutely counter it".
Ends
 |
| Blogger in front of Great Wall of China: Aug 25, 2019 |
No comments:
Post a Comment