BEIJING - China is "in consultation" with the United States on a visa issue affecting the Mandarin-teaching Confucius Institutes, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said Thursday.

Media reports say that many Chinese teachers at the Confucius Institutes in the US have to leave the country due to a policy directive sent by the US Department of State to universities that sponsor the language and cultural centers.

"Chinese authorities are in consultation with the US side," Hong said at a regular press briefing, adding that "we hope the issue will be addressed appropriately and not affect the development of the programs."

According to the US memorandum dated May 17, any academics at university-based institutes who are teaching at the elementary- and secondary-school levels are violating the terms of their visas and must leave at the end of this academic year in June, according to reports.