This open access book follows Volume 1 to offer a rare and fresh insider account of Confucius Institutes, one of China’s most debated global initiatives. Based on six years of experience as a Confucius Institute director, it challenges the view that these institutes are Chinese centrally controlled tools of soft power or other state objectives, showing instead how local (often non-Chinese) contexts shape their everyday operations and development. The book explores how Confucius Institutes are jointly run with host universities and embedded in the political, institutional, and cultural environments of host countries. It moves from macro to micro levels—from national politics to regional dynamics, then to university priorities, sub-organisational structures, and institute-level practices. Through this multi-level analysis, it shows how interactions among local actors shape outcomes. Accessible and engaging, this study reframes debates on China’s global engagement, highlighting how global China is shaped by local realities.

Jinghan Zeng is a Professor at City University of Hong Kong and former Director of the Lancaster University Confucius Institute (2019–2025). He has authored several books and over thirty peer-reviewed articles on Chinese politics.