U.S. suspends exchange programs with China, calling them 'propaganda'

Dec 4 (Reuters) - The U.S. State Department said late Wednesday it has terminated five cultural exchange programs with China, calling them "soft power propaganda tools."

"While other programs funded under the auspices of the Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act are mutually beneficial, the five programs in question are fully funded and operated by the (Chinese) government as soft power propaganda tools," Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a statement.

(Reporting by Aakriti Bhalla in Bengaluru; Editing by William Mallard)