House Republicans on the Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party said in a report released Friday that Pentagon-funded research carried out at U.S. colleges aided China’s military by supporting collaborations with Chinese universities and institutes linked to that country's defense industry.
The report found that, over a recent two-year period, the Pentagon funded hundreds of projects conducted in collaboration with universities in China and with institutes that the U.S. government has blacklisted for ties to the Chinese military. Republican members of the committee said those projects enabled China to exploit U.S. research partnerships for military gains amid a broader rivalry over technology and arms.
"American taxpayer dollars should be used to defend the nation — not strengthen its foremost strategic competitor," the report said. It added that "failing to safeguard American research from hostile foreign exploitation will continue to erode U.S. technological dominance and place our national defense capabilities at risk."
The report identified collaborations that involved institutions the U.S. has placed on export-control or other restricted lists because of their alleged ties to the Chinese military. It did not, however, provide a comprehensive public accounting of every individual project or specify all participating U.S. institutions in the summary released by Republicans.
The Pentagon did not immediately respond to a request for comment. China’s government has previously said that scientific and technological cooperation with the United States is mutually beneficial and helps both sides address global challenges.
The findings add to increasing scrutiny in Washington over academic and military research ties with China as lawmakers and federal agencies weigh how best to balance scientific collaboration with national security. In recent years, U.S. officials have tightened export controls and increased oversight of research partnerships amid concerns that emerging technologies could be leveraged for military purposes.
Committee Republicans framed the report as evidence that current safeguards are insufficient and argued greater protections are needed to prevent transfer of sensitive research. The report is likely to figure into ongoing congressional debates about funding, oversight and restrictions on international research collaboration involving federally supported projects.
The Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, created by House Republicans, has issued a series of reports examining different facets of U.S.-China competition, including technology, trade and influence operations. This report focuses specifically on the intersection of Department of Defense-funded research and Chinese institutions with ties to Beijing’s defense establishment.
ABC News reported on the congressional findings Friday. The committee’s full report includes additional detail on the scope of projects and the entities involved; committee members said their work is intended to inform policy decisions intended to protect U.S. technological advantages and national security interests.