China criticises Australian move to close language schools

China on Friday criticised a decision by the government of Australia's New South Wales state to close Chinese-sponsored language programs in more than a dozen public schools over political concerns.

Foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said the 13 Confucius Institute programs operating in the schools had been "open, transparent and lawful" and a "win-win thing."
A New South Wales report issued after a review of the program said no evidence of "actual political influence" was found but that there was a sense that "the institute is or could be facilitating inappropriate foreign influence."
"Having appointees of a one-party state that exercises censorship in its own country working in a government department in a democratic system is another."