# Former Confucius Institute director to lead new UNLV language centre

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/former-director-of-controversial-chinese-institute-with-links-to-ccp-lands-top-job-at-major-us-university-as-defense-secretary-hegseth-warns-of-new-propaganda-cells-to-infiltrate-minds-of-amer/
- Published: 2026-11-03T20:55:41+00:00
- Updated: 2026-11-03T21:07:22+00:00
- Original publisher: Daily Mail (publisher lean: Right)
- Original article: https://www.dailymail.com/news/article-16262437/former-confucius-institute-head-las-vegas.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=1490
- Topics: Americas, Asia, World

## Key points

- Former Confucius Institute director Huajing Maske now leads a UNLV cultural institute.
- Hegseth alleges 80 propaganda cells have appeared at 30 universities.
- UNLV says its institute is funded by a $15 million corporate gift.

## Summary

Huajing Maske, former executive director of the University of Kentucky’s Confucius Institute, has been appointed to lead a new Chinese language and culture institute at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. The appointment has drawn scrutiny because it comes as US officials renew concerns about alleged Chinese influence on university campuses.

Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said 80 alleged propaganda cells had emerged at 30 universities under different names. UNLV said its Sands Institute was established with a $15 million gift from Las Vegas Sands Corporation and has received no funding from China; it also said the US Department of War had not contacted the institute. Confucius Institutes offered language and cultural programmes, but critics and US officials argued that their Chinese government funding could enable political influence and constrain academic freedom.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.