ThinkProgress has a longer article about how the PRC wields influence in Western countries. The article is a bit overly negative towards China, but quite informative:

How China leads a campaign of censorship and intimidation throughout the West

Some points from the article:
"Chinese officials have nonetheless exerted a campaign of subterfuge throughout Europe, the Americas, and Australia and New Zealand. The aim of the campaign is ending criticism wherever it may be found, and expanding China’s autocratic diktat wherever it can."

"“Beijing’s strategy is first to cut off critical discussion of China’s government, then to co-opt American influencers in order to promote China’s narrative.”"

"where Moscow has recently made it more difficult for American media companies to operate on Russian soil, it’s Beijing that has barred outlets like the New York Times outright – and led a campaign of imprisoning the relatives of American reporters publishing material critical of the Chinese Communist Party."

Despite the article being a bit over-critical, the information provided is probably pretty accurate. & since the PRC government has usually long-term strategies, it's probably a good idea to be wary of any Chinese institution promoting "cultural exchange". Then again, most of us will only be tangentially affected by all this.