Tony Clifton

The Pentagon has finally won its war on tai chi and calligraphy classes! Pete Hegseth announced on Friday that the Department of War has designated Confucius Institutes a national security threat, with a sinister mission “to steal intellectual property and to infiltrate the minds of American students”. It is unclear how language lessons, calligraphy classes, tai chi sessions, Lunar New Year celebrations, and the occasional dumpling-making workshop threaten anyone’s national security. Meanwhile, China isn’t unique in promoting its culture abroad. Britain has the British Council, France the Alliance Française, Spain the Instituto Cervantes. The US State Department runs hundreds of “American Spaces” around the world. Apparently the US regime has reached the conclusion that any exposure to Chinese culture; any contact with Chinese people; any appreciation of Chinese civilisation; any notion of friendship and cooperation with China is a danger to white supremacy and the global imperialist order. Which, in a sense, it is. But that’s not the same as being a threat to national security. Anyway, this ship has sailed. Sensible young people in the US despise their own regime and are increasingly appreciative of China’s role in promoting peace, its leadership in climate action, and its commitment to improving the lives of ordinary people. Crass McCarthyism will solve no problems and will only make the US government look more ridiculous in the eyes of its own citizens and the world.