China News Service, Beijing, October 16 (Reporter Zhang Su) The US Secretary of State Pompeo said in public that he hopes to close all Confucius Institutes and Confucius Classrooms in the United States.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian reiterated its position when asked at a regular press conference on the 16th, saying that China reserves the right to make further responses.

　　A reporter asked that Pompeo recently threatened to shut down Confucius Classrooms and Confucius Institutes across the United States in a radio program. He also claimed that so-called "persons who participated in the operation of Confucius Institutes on behalf of the Communist Party of China" would not be able to enter through visas. American classroom.

What's the comment of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs?

　　Zhao Lijian replied that the Confucius Institute is a bridge and link to help people from all over the world learn Chinese, understand China, and strengthen cultural exchanges between China and other countries.

For a long time, Confucius Institutes in the United States have been voluntary applications by universities. Chinese and American universities have been established in cooperation based on the principles of mutual respect, friendly consultation, equality and mutual benefit.

Its operation and management are open and transparent, strictly abide by local laws, and abide by the university's regulations. It has made positive contributions to the promotion of cultural exchanges between China and the United States, and has been widely welcomed by the university and the American people.

　　"Out of ideological prejudice and political self-interest, some American politicians such as Pompeo slandered the Confucius Institute, interfered with its normal operation in the United States, and deliberately undermined the cultural and educational exchanges and cooperation between China and the United States. This is a serious violation of the will of the two peoples. It was resolutely resisted by people of insight in the United States." Zhao Lijian said.

　　He pointed out that individual US politicians should abandon the Cold War zero-sum game mindset, immediately correct their mistakes, stop politicizing related education exchange programs, stop interfering with normal cultural exchanges between China and the United States, and stop harming mutual trust and cooperation between China and the United States.

　　He said that if the US does this, China reserves the right to make further responses.

(Finish)