The Scottish Government has rejected calls to review the status of Confucius Institutes amid moves across Europe and North America to close such Chinese-funded bodies.

Scotland has more of the cultural and teaching institutions, funded by Beijing, at universities than any other country per capita.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, who is currently in China, has just signed a new deal to expand Confucius Classrooms, schools versions of the scheme, across the country.

It came as the University of Stuttgart pulled out of similar arrangements amid an international outcry about academic freedom at the institutes.

Tory MSP Alex Johnstone has been demanding know whether Scotland's commitment to the scheme would be reviewed in the light of Stuttgart and other universities axing Confucius Institutes.

In a written reply this week, Alasdair Allan, said it was up to universities to make decisions on whether to host Confucius Institutes - Glasgow, Edinburgh, Heriot Watt and Aberdeen, have them.

But he said that the Confucius Institute for Scottish Schools (CISS) at Strathclyde University, which supports classrooms, was partly funded by the Government.

He said: "CISS is in receipt of Scottish Government funding to carry out their functions in supporting the teaching of Chinese language and culture across Scotland, including providing opportunities for young people and teachers to undergo intensive language learning in China. "All of this work contributes to the implementation of the 1+2 languages policy and to the targets of the government’s China Plan.

"The Scottish Government has no plans to review the role of CISS, however officials continue to discuss with them future options available."