一段时间以来，美国和一些西方政客对孔子学院疑神疑鬼、极尽抹黑却又拿不出任何证据，这种做法非常极端，是一种典型的歧视性行为，令人难以理解。我希望欧盟和成员国更加自信，摒弃偏见，避免把正常的教育交流政治化。中国和欧洲都拥有悠久的历史和文明，假如连孔子和苏格拉底都不能对话交流，那人类文明便失去了未来。

For some time, some American and western politicians and media are quite suspicious of the Confucius Institute. They are making attacks on these Institutes, but they have yet to come up with solid evidence. Such moves are quite radical and discriminatory. I find it hard to understand. In this regard, we hope that the EU and its member states could be more confident, refrain from ideology-driven prejudice, and not politicize a normal cultural and educational program. China and Europe both enjoy time-honored history and civilization. If even Socrates and Confucius could not communicate with each other, there will be no future for cross-civilizational dialogues.

　　FT：问一个相关的问题，我们注意到美国大幅收紧了对华学者签证政策，您认为欧洲是否也有类似迹象？

　　张明：比利时两家大学终止了与孔子学院的合作关系，美国收紧中国学者的赴美签证，这都是在人文交流领域的负面动向，值得警惕。

　　FT：是哪所大学终止合作，其他欧盟成员国也有这种情况发生吗？

　　张明：法语布鲁塞尔自由大学和荷语布鲁塞尔自由大学。当然，也有其他成员国的大学新近或正在与孔子学院建立合作关系。

FT: On a related point, we've seen in the U.S that there is a much tougher approach to academic visas. Are you seeing any signs of that being replicated in the European Union?

Zhang: You may have noticed that in Brussels, two universities have suspended their cooperation on the Confucius Institute. I think both the suspension of the Confucius Institute cooperation and the tightening of academic visas in the United States are negative developments in the culture and educational fields, and deserve high vigilance.

FT: Which Belgian Universities are suspending corporation? Which are the other EU countries you mentioned suspending the cooperation?

Zhang: VUB and ULB. Yet meanwhile, there are also universities from member states that have established or are establishing cooperation with China.

　　FT：还有其他成员国终止与孔子学院合作关系吗？

　　张明：我注意到英国议会发表了一个报告，表示孔子学院干扰学术独立。该报告渲染中国威胁，足以引起警惕，在文化交流方面不应出现这种没有道理的做法。

　　FT：关于美国收紧学者签证的问题，你在欧洲是否注意到类似的现象？

FT: Member states where cooperation was suspended, which are they?

Zhang: I read a report by the UK parliament hyping up the so-called Chinese academic threats. These examples I mentioned are sufficient for us to be more vigilant to such unreasonable trends in cultural and people-to-people exchanges.

FT: On my question, you mentioned the tightening of academic visas in the U.S. Have you seen any sign of tightening visas in Europe as a whole when it comes to academic visas, leaving aside the issue which we've just been discussing in Belgium?

　　张明：我还没有发现这种现象。但有中国公民和企业向我抱怨，一些欧洲国家发放签证的速度太慢。对商业活动来说，时间和效率是非常重要的，如果申请签证需要等待长达一个月的时间，那他们就失去了商机。

　　FT：非常感谢您接受采访！

　　张明：谢谢。

Zhang: I have not got that impression. Yet some Chinese enterprises and citizens complain to me that it is too slow for them to get the European visas. For businesses, time and efficiency are most important. If they have to wait up to one month to get a visa, they are going to lose their customers.

FT: Thank you!

Zhang: Thank you.