【新唐人2014年09月30日訊】今年的9月28號，是中共當局在全球各地建立孔子學院的10週年紀念日。不過，美國芝加哥大學卻在幾天前宣佈，將與這個由北京支持的學術中心斷絕關係。作為中共在海外的「文化前哨」，孔子學院似乎已經無法讓這些海外高校和教育機構，再像以前那樣，「敞開雙臂」歡迎它。
作為中華民族傳統文化的代表人物之一，孔子的道德天命觀，在中國承傳了兩千多年。而中共自1949年以來，一直對孔子和孔子思想進行詆譭和批判。
不過，10年前開始，中共一反常態。在全球123個國家和地區，至今建立了465所孔子學院，和713個孔子課堂。
為了孔子學院海外成立10週年的慶祝活動，中共當局可謂做足功課，並將9月27號訂為「孔子學院日」。
然而25號，芝加哥大學網站上的一則聲明，與中共竭力為孔子學院營造的「喜慶」氛圍，可謂格格不入。
聲明表示，芝大和中共官方機構－國家漢辦，在過去數個月就一項新的協議，一直在努力協商，但最近有報導引述漢辦一名總幹事的言論，不符合持續平等的合作關係，因此決定終止就孔子學院合約期滿續約的談判。
那麼，究竟是一篇甚麼樣的文章，讓芝大感到無法接受呢？
中共《解放日報》本月19號發表的一篇對漢辦主任、孔子學院總幹事許琳的獨家採訪，在結尾寫到，「今年4月下旬，美國芝加哥大學百名退休教授聯名要求停辦孔子學院，許琳直接一封信寫給芝加哥大學校長、一個電話打給其駐京代表，只有一句話，『只要你們學校做決定退出，我就同意』。」報導說，校方因此決定繼續辦好孔子學院。
許琳這「一個電話就能改變芝大」的做法，顯然與芝大聲明的表述，有不小出入，也與今年4月，100多名芝大教授，聯名叫停孔子學院的一個重要原因吻合。這些教授對「學術自由」，和中共將會插手干預表示擔心。還有教職員表示，中心教材要求不准涉及台灣、西藏和法輪功。
美國中文雜誌《中國事務》總編輯伍凡：「美國的教授們，不歡迎它。因為你跟美國的教授治校、學術自由完全相違背。這個事情發生了不只一次，加拿大也發生，洛杉磯也發生，芝加哥也發生，都給他們提出（過），給漢辦提出來，可是漢辦不願意改，不改，還照樣，那乾脆我就請你走路了。」
由於孔子學院為美國大學提供了大量資金，不少聲音擔心，這些禮物有附加條件。
中國歷史學專家李元華：「畢竟在西方它（漢學研究）屬於一個邊緣學科，那麼實際它也面臨一個資金問題，中共看到了這一點，它以所謂的經濟誘惑為手段，對於西方傳統的一些漢學研究機構，以所謂合作、援助為手段，以達到牽制、控制海外漢學研究的方向，實際上它這個目的是很惡毒的。」
此外，據香港《明報》報導，數月前，有熟悉孔子學院運作人士透露，由於需要政府撥款，一些孔子學院甚至淪為官員出國的接待站。
伍凡：「人家懷疑它是一個情報機構，它派來的人，是中國派出來的，沒有老師資格，可是用老師身份出來，不准講西藏問題、法輪功問題等等，那麼就是有政治目的了嘛，人家懷疑你們這些都是文化間諜、教育間諜。所以這個事情我看會鬧大，不會鬧小，因為芝加哥大學在美國是Top10（的）一流大學，會發酵的。」
對於芝大終止與孔子學院的合作，中共漢辦發聲明表示遺憾，但同時說，對方有權作出選擇。
採訪/易如 編輯/王子琦 後製/鍾元
Confucius Institute “Kicked Out" from University of Chicago
Sept. 28 of this year marks the 10th anniversary of the
Confucius Institutes established in the
world by the Chinese authorities.
However, a few days ago, the University of Chicago
announced it would sever its ties
with the Institute supported by Beijing.
As the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) overseas
“cultural outpost",
the Confucius Institute seems to be less successful at having
overseas universities open armed and welcoming,
as they have been in the past.
As one of the representatives of traditional Chinese culture,
Confucius moral teachings have been well rooted
within China’s true heritage for over two thousand years.
Since 1949, the CCP have always slandered and criticised
Confucius and Confucianism.
However, things changed dramatically 10 years ago,
as CCP changed its attitude towards Confucius.
Since then, the CCP has established 465 Confucius Institutes
and 713 Confucius classrooms in 123 countries worldwide.
The Chinese authorities have made detailed preparations
for the 10th anniversary celebrations
of overseas Confucius Institutes,
even setting a date Sept. 27 as “Confucius Institute Day".
However, on Sept. 25, University of Chicago broadcast
a statement on its website,
which can best be described as antipathetic with the “festive"
atmosphere which the CCP has tried to create for the
Confucius Institute.
The statement says, the University of Chicago and CCP
official institution – Hanban,
have been trying to negotiate terms these past few months
on finding a new agreement.
A recent report however, quoted the speech given
by Director-General of Hanban, did not meet
the desired requirements of a continued equality partnership.
Hence the University decided to terminate their negotiations
upon expiry of the contract.
So which news report did the article come from?
Shanghai CCP’s “Liberation Daily" published an article
on Sept. 19, which details
an exclusive interview with Xu Lin, Director of Hanban
and the Director-General of the Confucius Institute.
At the end of the article it said, “This year, in late April,
a hundred emeritus professors of University of Chicago
signed up for the closure of Confucius Institute at the University.
Xu Lin decided to directly write a letter to the President
of University of Chicago, and give a phone call
to the representative of University in Beijing.
All of these were just to convey one simple message
‘If your University decided to quit the College, I agree’."
The report says that the University of Chicago
decided to continue to run Confucius College.
Xu Lin’s statement “one phone call can change the decision
of the University of Chicago", its significant discrepancy
with the express declaration of the University.
This is also consistent with one key reason
that more than 100 professors jointly appealed
to stop the operation of the Confucius Institute
in April of this year.
These professors expressed concern
of the “academic freedom"
and the intervention of the CCP.
Some faculty staff said that the teaching materials
of the Confucius Institute are required not
to involve Taiwan, Tibet and Falun Gong.
American Chinese magazine “China Affairs" Chief Editor
Mr Wu Fan:
“American professors do not welcome it
because the Institute is completely contrary to
the principles of American Professors
governing the University and promoting academic freedom.
Such an incident happened not once, but has also occurred
in Canada, Los Angeles and Chicago.
They all raised this issue to Hanban, but Hanban are
unwilling to change,
wanting to still keep things the same way,
they then have to let the Confucius Institute go."
Since the Confucius Institute offered American universities
lots of money as an incentive, many voices are
worried that these gifts have strings attached.
Chinese historian Li Yuanhua: “In the West, Sinology
( network attached storage co.)belongs to an edge of discipline,
is facing a real financial problems.
The CCP saw this, and employed economic temptation
as a means to develop Confucius Institutes
with some Western Sinology research institutions.
All in the name of cooperation and assistance,
the CCP tried to achieve containment, thus controlling
the direction of overseas Chinese studies, and in fact the CCP’s
purpose is very vicious."
In addition, according to Hong Kong’s “Ming Pao",
a few months ago, a person who is familiar
with the operation of the Confucius Institute
has revealed that due to being funded by the government,
some overseas Confucius Institutes even
become official reception centres.
Wu Fan: “Some people suspect that the Institute is
an intelligence agency, which sent out staff from China,
with the staff having no teacher qualifications,
yet with a teachers’ identity but without being allowed to talk
about the issues of Tibet or Falun Gong etc.
Then the Institute has political purposes. Some people suspect
these Institutes are cultural and educational spies
for CCP authorities.
So I think this thing will likely blow up rather than
reduce into nothing.
Because the University of Chicago in the United States
is of the Top10 and a first-class university,
this matter will ferment. “
Regarding the decision of the University of Chicago
terminating the cooperation with the Confucius Institute,
the CCP’s Hanban issued a statement and expressed its regret,
but said that the other party is entitled to make a choice.
Interview/YiRu Edit/Wang Ziqi Post-Production/ZhongYuan
