Students practice Chinese calligraphy in the Confucius Institute in San Francisco State University, September 27, 2014 (XINHUA)

The Office of Chinese Language Council International has denied a report that the United States has ordered to shut down over 60 Confucius Institutes in the country. The office says the report is sheer fabrication and completely untrue.

The organization, also known as the Confucius Institute Headquarters, posted a statement on its official WeChat account on May 28, claiming that all the 109 Confucius Institutes in the United States are still operating.

The original report posted by WeChat subscription account "Jinwenjiedu" has already been deleted.

Setting up its first international branch in Seoul in November 2004, the Confucius Institute has become an important organization in the promotion of Chinese language and culture globally.

There were a total of 475 Confucius Institutes and 851 Confucius Classes in 126 countries and regions as of December 2014.

(CRIENGLISH.com May 30, 2016)