U.S to end five China-funded exchange programs U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo AKIPRESS.COM - The U.S. State Department is terminating five Chinese-funded exchange programs with the United States, calling them propaganda tools for Beijing, The Straits Times reported. The Department said on its website that the programs are the Policymakers Educational China Trip Program, the US-China Friendship Program, the US-China Leadership Exchange Program, the US-China Transpacific Exchange Program and the Hong Kong Educational and Cultural Program. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said these programs - conducted under a US law called the Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act (MECEA) that permits American government employees to travel using foreign government funds - were disguised as cultural exchanges.