The U.S. Department of Defense has directed approximately 30 American universities to audit and potentially terminate their research partnerships with foreign institutions, primarily in China, Russia, and Iran. This directive is part of a broader effort to curb the flow of sensitive technology and intellectual property that could bolster the capabilities of adversarial nations.
The institutions targeted were identified by the Pentagon last month. Of the 130 identified, 88 are located in mainland China, with the remainder in Russia and Iran. This list, which is updated annually, was first established in 2023 under Section 1286 of the 2019 National Defense Authorization Act, enacted during the Trump administration.
While some universities on the list have explicit ties to China's military, others are prominent civilian institutions with extensive international research collaborations. These include Fudan University and Shanghai Jiao Tong University. The updated list also includes other Chinese institutions with varying links to the nation's defense and security establishment, such as Shandong University, Hangzhou Dianzi University, Shenyang Aerospace University, and the University of International Relations.
Universities, including prominent institutions like Harvard and MIT, are reportedly among those required to review their affiliations and sever any deemed problematic to avoid jeopardizing federal funding. The Pentagon's actions reflect growing concerns within the U.S. government about academic collaborations that could inadvertently benefit foreign military modernization efforts.
China has previously called for the U.S. to abandon what it describes as a "Cold War mentality" and to foster an open environment for educational and scientific exchanges between the two countries.