6. Two Confucius Institutes and a Cross-Border University as Sites of China’s Cultural Diplomacy in Malaysia: The Limitations of ‘Domestic Structures’

This chapter aims to analyze the role of two Confucius Institutes (CI) and an overseas campus of a top Chinese university in Malaysia as primary transnational sites of China’s cultural diplomacy (CCD) in this Southeast Asian nation. The text specifically looks at the motifs, developments, and activities of major Chinese educational institutions in Malaysia during the latter part of the premiership of Najib Razak, when the relationship between these countries reached its historic peak. The reason why it is important to inquire about the operations of the two CIs and a satellite campus in Malaysia is twofold: (a) these institutions are among the most visible and most focused projections of China’s cultural diplomacy in the country during the studied time frame; (b) the educational sector as a target of CCD in Malaysia has proven to be a fertile field for such activities. On the other hand, other sectors usually targeted by cultural diplomacy in other countries, such as film or traditional arts festivals, are less dominant and the prevalent focus of CCD is rather on ‘shared histories.’ This is due to specific domestic political, social, and ethno-religious structures—most particularly the existence of the large and economically strong Chinese community, which welcomes growing opportunities to do business with China but, at the same time, is increasingly patriotic and comprised of individuals who see themselves as multicultural citizens of Malaysia.