Over the past decade, Confucius Institutes have consistently remained a focal point in international discussions concerning China’s global influence. While these institutes are dedicated to promoting Chinese language teaching and enhancing China's soft power, they have also been perceived by many Western countries as instruments for exporting the "China Model," finding themselves in a challenging environment. In this episode, Prof. Da Wei, Director of the Center for International Security and Strategy at Tsinghua University, sits down with Prof. Michael Jinghan Zeng from the Department of Public and International Affairs at City University of Hong Kong, who is also the former director of the Confucius Institute at Lancaster University, to discuss his new book, Memoirs of a Confucius Institute Director, Volume 1: Challenges, Controversies, and Realities. Professor Zeng shares his firsthand experiences and observations of Confucius Institutes, offering an in-depth discussion on their operational mechanisms, internal and external pressures, requirements for localization, and pathways for survival and development.