U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced late Friday (Dec. 4) that five U.S.-China exchange programs disguised as “cultural exchanges” would be terminated in one fell swoop, saying they were being used by Beijing as tools for an outreach campaign that involved Chinese officials rather than ordinary citizens.
The five terminated programs include the Policymakers Educational China Trip Program, the U.S.-China Friendship Program, the U.S.-China Leaders Exchange Program, and the U.S.-China Leadership Exchange Program. Leadership Exchange Program, the U.S.-China Transpacific Exchange Program, and the Hong Kong Educational and Cultural Program. Program).
Pompeo noted that these programs are administered under the U.S. Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act of 1961, which allows U.S. government employees to travel with foreign government funds, and that the funded programs are all reciprocal, but that the five programs are fully funded and operated by the Chinese authorities and serve as a promotional tool for Beijing’s soft power.
Pompeo emphasized that the programs are carefully designed to ensure that Chinese officials have permission to participate in the visit, rather than the general population of China, which does not enjoy freedom of speech and assembly. He said that the United States welcomes reciprocal and equitable cultural exchanges with Chinese officials and people, rather than one-sided programs that are not reciprocal.
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