Canadians' Perception of Confucius Institutes: Culture Experience or Political Propaganda?

摘要

The purpose of this paper is to elaborate how Canadians think about China's Confucius Institutes. The article argues that Chinese leaders describe the Confucius Institutes around the world as the tool of spreading appreciation for Chinese culture and language. However, the majority of officials and the masses of Canada are insisted that Confucius Institutes are closely linked to the Chinese Communist Party which designed to convey Communist ideology. Moreover, Canadians believe that as educational institutions, the Confucius Institutes are not compatible with the principle of independence from political interference. Lacking of knowledge fosters the misunderstanding of Canada and China. Therefore, there should be more engagement between the two nations.