China and the Confucius Institute actively bridges friendship and hosts cultural exchanges, while promoting the teaching of Chinese worldwide. In February 2011, Harvard professor Dr. Keith Lowe gave a speech about the Hakka castle dwellings in China after a request from the Confucius Institute at Miami-Dade Community College. As of 2010, there are 322 Confucius Institutes and 369 Confucius Classrooms in 96 countries around the world. American schools who have programs with the institute include Columbia University in New York and the William Winsor Elementary School in Rhode Island.
China is a growing power in the world and learning Chinese is beneficial for students who want to compete in a global economy. The Confucius Institute offers free books, materials and grant money to start or enhance a Chinese language and cultural program. Chinese is the most widely spoken language in the world, and many public schools would benefit from the financial help and textbooks the program offers. Ninety-six countries, including the United States, have accepted this program without any controversy. All schools have seen this program as a gesture of friendship and peaceful cooperation.
Cedarlane Middle School in Hacienda Heights, California, is the only school that has rallied against the Confucius Institute program. Former school board members and parents believe the program is promoting Communism and is brainwashing the students. Community members against the program do not like the fact that the Chinese government is essentially promoting its own values and language. They believe that accepting free books, games, a laptop and grant money is a propaganda tool for China.
The teacher at Cedarlane Middle School, who was planning on using the program's materials, is an American citizen, and there was a Chinese language class already in place before the institute's program entered the picture. Ninety-six countries currently use this program without any controversy. UCLA, near Cedarlane Middle School, implements a Confucius Institute Chinese language program without any beliefs that it is only a tool for the Chinese government. The program is similar to Germany's Goethe-Institut and France's Alliance Française. Many of the board members in the Cedarlane School are Chinese and make up 36 percent of the population of the area according to the 2000 census. However, many non-Asian long-time residents feel more American values should be taught in school.