A recent report by the House GOP has raised alarm over U.S. research collaborations with Chinese institutions, suggesting that such partnerships may inadvertently strengthen the Chinese military. The report, as reported by the New York Times, highlights that Department of Defense-funded research, initially aimed at maintaining a technological edge, has potentially been used to benefit the Chinese military.
The findings call for a ban on all federally funded researchers from working with Chinese institutions linked to the military, a move that could significantly limit U.S.-China academic collaborations. Notably, the University of California, Berkeley, and the Georgia Institute of Technology were mentioned in the report for alleged collaborations that could serve the Chinese Communist Party's military and commercial interests.
Both universities have denied the allegations, with Georgia Tech asserting that an internal investigation found no evidence of research benefiting the Chinese military. Despite this, Georgia Tech has decided to terminate its partnership with the Shenzhen Institute amid concerns that Congress might cut federal funding for institutions collaborating with the CCP.
Berkeley has also ended its association with the Tsinghua-Berkeley Shenzhen Institute, although it maintained that no evidence was found linking its research to Chinese military interests. The implications of this report could lead to a significant reevaluation of U.S.-China research partnerships, further straining relations between the two nations.