100,000 unique views special

The East-West Dichotomy celebrates 100,000 unique views!

To the occasion, I’d like to give some shout-outs to the following selection of remarkable persons that I’ve had the pleasure, and the honor, to cooperate with over the years. In random order, they are: Eric Draitser, Victor Fic, Min Weiyuan, Yao Minji (Emily), Vaughan Winterbottom, Olga Sorokina, Eric Arnow, James Corbett, Christina Boutrup, Wang Yong, Li Hao, Randy Flagg, and Liu Fangnian. All the best, my friends, and good luck to your cause!
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The March of the Confucius Institutes in the West (BRICS Business Magazine)

"That’s a great strategy. I have seen with my own eyes how Western specialists compete for those prestigious posts of ‘Director of the Confucius Institute for X-land at the University of Y.’ It’s inevitably followed by a promotion at the University of Y from unknown professor to the rank of dean. It is because, when dealing with China, no one takes half measures. The perks are obvious: an affiliation with China’s Ministry of Education, easy access to visas, flights, conferences, and wining and dining. Naturally, the newly appointed deans will introduce their students to their CIs. It’s an authoritarian-style top-down approach."

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Ten years ago a network of Confucius Institutes was founded as a soft power tool designed to promote Chinese culture and foster the country’s positive image on a global scale. However, it appears that the institution has not managed to fulfil its primary objective, and to an extent has become ‘westernized.’ BRICS Business Magazine interviewed academics closely familiar with the Confucius Institute system to explore the reasons behind this... (by Olga Sorokina)

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