China targets U.S. higher education through influence programs

Reports indicate ongoing efforts by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) to influence American higher education. Recent findings from the House Select Committee on China and the organization Defending Education highlight concerns regarding CCP infiltration and propaganda-driven student exchange programs.

In a June 2024 letter to the President of Kean University, Chairman Xi Jinping called for universities in both nations to ‘cultivate young envoys who know both countries well.’ This terminology aligns with Beijing’s ‘Community of Common Destiny’ initiative, which seeks to reshape international relations. While many Confucius Institutes have been disbanded, critics argue that new programs aim to promote Chinese civilization and values over Western democratic principles.