Confucius head cites demand for institutes' work

Edinburgh conference hears defense against recent criticisms from the West

China will further invest in Confucius Institutes in Europe, a Chinese official said amid recent criticism from a British scholar and the US government concerning the organization's legitimacy.

"The West wants to study Mandarin, but they may not have the teaching expertise or human resources to satisfy their needs," Xu Lin, head of Confucius Institute headquarters, or Hanban, said on Thursday. "Therefore, we ought to help."