China plans to "optimise" the spread of its controversial Confucius Institutes, the government said, institutions to promote Chinese language and culture that have been criticised by some for spreading Communist Party influence. In 2004, China began setting up the government-run bodies, whose stated mission is to satisfy soaring global demand to learn Chinese. from World News Headlines, Latest International News, World Breaking News - Times of India https://ift.tt/2Nn2h6A