To the editor:

The column “Fighting covert Chinese influence” by David Ignatius, which appeared in the Lawrence Journal-World on Jan. 10, only exposed the tip of the Chinese-influence-operations iceberg. Much more information about what Sen. Marco Rubio, co-chair of the Congressional Commission on China, has called the “insidious” Chinese attacks on academic independence and free expression that are co-opting American universities, can be found in the Dec. 16-22, 2017, issue of The Economist. There one will find a discussion of the Chinese Communist Party’s Confucius Institute through which the University of Kansas contributes to Chinese covert-influence operations.

The covert part of the KU Confucius Institute begins with the name itself. Following the CCP’s classic “front organization” model, the CCP’s important role lies concealed behind KU’s respected name. Secondly, as stated by Dr. Perry Link, one of the most respected American scholars on China, it is standard practice for the Chinese staff of Confucius Institutes to be trained to pursue CCP interests in all contexts, formal and informal. Given this situation, and the conflicts of interest within American staff and faculty created by Chinese money, it is easy to understand why in 2014 the American Association of University Professors called for the closing of Confucius Institutes because they “function as an arm of the Chinese state and are allowed to ignore academic freedom.”

KU, unfortunately, has yet to heed this call and continues to enthusiastically support Chinese influence operations.