中國「軟實力」的宣傳工具
Sweden-China relations have been on the rocks in recent years.
近年來，瑞典和中國之間的關係觸礁，
on the rocks(關係)觸礁、岌岌可危、瀕臨崩潰
China arrested Swedish publisher Gui Minhai in 2018 for printing disapproving texts about the Communist Party.
2018年11月中國逮捕了瑞典書商桂民海，因為他出版反對共產黨的刊物，
disapprove(v.)反對;不贊成(disapprove of~)disapproving(adj.)表示反對的;表示不贊成的
As a result, Gui was awarded the Tucholsky Prize for persecuted writers or publishers by the Swedish chapter of PEN International, a global association of writers.
因此桂民海獲頒瑞典筆會圖霍爾斯基獎，該獎項專門肯定遭受迫害的作家或出版商，
award sb.獎項 頒發獎項給某人=sb. be awarded 獎項persecute(v.)(因宗教、政治理念、種族)迫害persecute religious minorities 破壞宗教少數族群
China then imposed trade restrictions on Sweden in retaliation.
結果中國採取報復行動，對瑞典實施貿易限制。
impose trade restrictions on~對…施行貿易限制in retaliation作為報復
Now, to add fuel to the fire, Sweden has closed its last remaining “Confucius Institute,” driving the two countries even further apart.
現在，瑞典又火上加油，關閉了國內最後僅存的「孔子學院」，使兩國關係越來越疏遠。
to add fuel to the fire火上加油=to pour oil or gasoline on the firedriving…=which drives…
Established in various foreign universities around the world, the Chinese-funded Confucius Institutes aim to promote Chinese culture and language.
由中國資助、在世界各大學成立的孔子學院旨在宣揚中華文化和語言。
Established…=While they are established…promote(v.)宣傳;宣揚;促進
Europe’s first Confucius Institute was welcomed at Stockholm University in 2005 when Sweden and China still had cordial relations.
2005年，當時瑞中關係仍然親密，瑞典方面歡迎中國在斯德哥爾摩大學成立歐洲第一座孔子學院。
cordial(adj.)親密的;親近的=close
However, it was closed ten years later, as the school was concerned about China’s insistence on greater control over running the institute.
但十年後卻關閉了，理由是校方擔心中國堅持加強對孔子學院運營的控制。
insistence(n.)堅持
Then-vice chancellor Astrid Soderbergh Widding said “Generally speaking, establishing institutes that are funded by another nation within the framework of a university is a rather questionable practice.”
時任副校長阿斯特麗德·索德伯格·維丁說：「一般而言，在大學的框架內成立由另一個國家贊助的學院是一種相當有問題的做法。」
questionable(adj.)可疑的、有問題的
With the closing of its last Confucius Institute, Sweden has become the first European nation to end all of its Chinese-sponsored education programs.
隨著最後一座孔子學院的關閉，瑞典已成為第一個終止所有中資教育計劃的歐洲國家。
Chinese-sponsored=Chinese-funded中資的
In fact, countries around the world are growing wary of the Chinese Communist Party’s attempt to limit academic freedom beyond its own borders.
事實上，世界各國對中共跨越國界限制學術自由的企圖越來越戒慎恐懼，
wary(adj.)謹慎的、小心翼翼的limit(v.)限制=restrictoutside its territories在領土外
US officials have also called out the institutes as being no more than a propaganda tool to enhance China’s “soft power.”
美國官員也稱孔子學院只不過是中國強化「軟實力」的宣傳工具。
call out批評=criticizeno more than~只不過是=simplypropaganda(n.)(政治)宣傳、鼓吹enhance(v.)增強=strengthen