Spy Hub or Cultural Bridge? Former Confucius Institute Director Rebuts Claims in New Memoir

A former director of the Confucius Institute at Lancaster University in England has published a memoir detailing his six-year tenure, directly confronting widespread accusations that the centers operate as espionage hubs and propaganda arms for Beijing. The author, Zeng Jinghan, argues his insider account reveals a more complex reality.

Zeng, now a professor at City University of Hong Kong, accepted the director position in 2018 while already serving as an international studies professor at Lancaster. He said the move wasn't for better pay but stemmed from a desire to understand the controversial institutes from the inside and a belief in the importance of engagement with China. His book, Memoirs of a Confucius Institute Director, Volume 1: Challenges, Controversies and Realities, was published earlier this year by Palgrave Macmillan.

“I thought it would be very interesting if I could write about something that I know a lot about and participate in it personally, like Richard Crossman’s The Diary of a Cabinet Minister,” Zeng said, referencing the influential mid-20th century British political memoirs.

His book chronicles the six years beginning in 2019, offering a detailed look at the daily operations and challenges faced by the institute. Its central aim is to counter the narrative of the institutes as vehicles for Chinese state objectives.

The memoir arrives at a critical time, as geopolitical tensions have placed Chinese-funded organizations under intense scrutiny across the Western world.

By providing a first-hand account, Zeng's work adds a personal and operational perspective to a debate often dominated by high-level political and intelligence assessments. Whether it can shift perceptions remains to be seen, but it ensures the global conversation about China's role in the world is not a monologue.