Pompeo calls on U.S. think tank to disclose sources of external funding

October 14, 2020

Translated

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Tuesday asked washington think tank to disclose its sources of foreign funding, warning that China and Russia are supporting these institutions, which are known to have significant influence on U.S. policy.

For decades, washington think tank has been attracting administration officials after they leave office and seeking funding.

Pompeo called on research centers seeking to cooperate with the State Department to “clearly” disclose on their websites any external funding they receive, including from government-backed entities.

“Authorization (of sources of external funding) is not a condition for dealing with these entities,” the Secretary of State said in a statement. “However, State Department officials will seek to see if the authorization has been made, whether specific sources of funding are included when deciding whether or not to cooperate and what that cooperation is.”

“We hope that u.S. efforts to promote free and open dialogue on economic and personal freedoms, equal citizenship, the rule of law and true civil society will soon be available in places like China and Russia,” the statement said.

In recent months, President Donald Trump’s administration has stepped up pressure on China, and Pompeo has attacked particularly its sources of influence on the United States.

In August, the U.S. State Department tightened restrictions on Confucius Institutes, which China holds at U.S. universities for language education, which opponents say adheres to the directives of the Chinese Communist regime.

Source El hurra