In fact, according to a number of authorities, the Confucius Institutes have made little attempt to influence the actions of their affiliated colleges.

Indeed, according to Daniel Golden's Bloomberg article regarding the Confucius Institutes, Hanban values its connections with the American academic world and would thus seek to avoid any conflicts that might harm that relationship.

Golden goes on to mention statements by Berkeley professor Michael Nylan that early missteps by local Confucius Institutes were likely due to the difficulty of adapting to American academic customs rather than any desire to impose their will.

However, there are policies that both US schools and Confucius Institutes can undertake in order to avoid any appearance of impropriety.

Schools and the Confucius Institutes alike should continue to stress the fact that while working together, they remain separate entities.

By doing so, the school could avoid accusations that its academic freedom is being infringed upon, while the Confucius Institute would be protected from claims that it was attempting to disguise its ultimate origin.

We should note that this is the easiest policy to adopt, as the Confucius Institutes are already quite open about their relationship to the Chinese government.

US schools should use this partnership as a supplement, rather than a replacement for their own programs. The institutes should be seen as an effective way to obtain the backing in Chinese culture and language that is needed to obtain an understanding of China.

However, instead of relying solely on the presence of the Confucius Institute, schools should be certain to support it with a robust Asian Studies program.

Most importantly, there should be clearly drawn lines of authority when it comes to planning academic events.

Just as it is unfair to demand that a university submit its academic programs for scrutiny to outside groups, it is also unfair to expect a Confucius Institute to adopt policies that are antithetical to its funders' interests.

By maintaining a proper separation, both parties can avoid even the perception of improper influence by either organization.

It is important to remember that the Confucius Institutes are an important part of the process of helping to provide US students with a deeper understanding of China's language and culture.

This assistance can play a vital role in ensuring that both the US and China continue to have a relationship based on growing respect and mutual understanding, and so should be encouraged rather than feared.