Concerns over Confucius Institute at Victoria University

MEDIA RELEASE | 23 September 2026 | FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

PILLAR NZ says newly released Official Information Act documents raise serious questions about whether foreign-interference and academic-freedom risks have been adequately assessed in relation to Victoria University of Wellington’s Confucius Institute.

The documents reveal a substantial relationship between the University’s Confucius Institute and Xiamen University involving funding, staffing, governance, school outreach and broader university engagement.

Since 2021, the Institute has received approximately NZ$1.7 million in disclosed funding from Xiamen University, including more than $614,000 in 2025 alone. 

Internal board minutes show the relationship extends beyond language teaching. In July 2025, board members said the Institute should help deepen Victoria University’s connections with China, act as “a channel for senior leadership to engage with China”, facilitate research and scholarships, and serve as “a channel to the Chinese Embassy” for wider university initiatives. 

The documents also show Xiamen University involved in the recruitment and vetting of Mandarin Language Assistants, while at least one teacher working with the Institute was funded by China’s Centre for Language Education and Cooperation. 

PILLAR’s Arian Tashakkori said, “international academic cooperation and Chinese-language education are legitimate and valuable. But when significant foreign funding, personnel arrangements, university governance and embassy relationships are involved, appropriate safeguards and risk assessments matter.”

Significantly, when PILLAR asked Victoria University for formal reports or assessments examining foreign-interference, foreign-state influence, academic-freedom or institutional-independence risks associated with its Confucius Institute, the University replied that the information does not exist. 

That response comes as the NZSIS 2026 Security Threat Environment report warns that foreign states can seek access and information through legitimate academic exchanges and partnerships, and says the PRC is the only country NZSIS has detected conducting espionage against New Zealand “at scale.” 

NZSIS also says academic exchanges, recruitment programmes and scholarships can sometimes be used to obtain sensitive information, disguise military or intelligence involvement or create financial leverage over academics.

Several portions of the released board minutes were also withheld under section 6(a) of the Official Information Act, on the basis that release could prejudice New Zealand’s security or defence, or the international relations of the New Zealand Government.

Tashakkori says the redactions add to the case for careful review of the relationship.

Internationally, Confucius Institutes have faced significant scrutiny. Six Australian universities had closed their institutes by April 2025 amid longstanding concerns over foreign influence and academic freedom, while nearly all US university-based Confucius Institutes have closed since 2019. 

Tashakkori said, “the issue is not engagement with China. This is about ensuring New Zealand universities retain academic freedom, institutional independence and adequate safeguards against foreign interference.”

PILLAR’s position is that New Zealand universities should urgently review, tighten oversight of, and consider ending Confucius Institute arrangements where required in light of contemporary security risks.

ENDS

Contact: arian@nzpillar.com