US tries to clear up confusion over institutes

The US Department of State will sort out a visa issue that affects Confucius Institute teachers in the country and will "do its best to fix it without having anybody have to leave", said department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland on Thursday, following confusion over a visa policy directive issued on May 17.

The directive was sent to universities that sponsor Confucius Institutes, a program of the Chinese government to promote Chinese language and culture overseas.

The document said faculty members who enter the United States through exchange program visas but also teach elementary or secondary school students are violating visa rules and must return to China by June 30 to reapply for an appropriate program.