Defence grants to US universities aided Chinese military-linked institutes: How it slipped through the cracks

Hundreds of Pentagon-funded research projects at US universities have been carried out in collaboration with Chinese institutions linked to China's defence industry, according to a recent report released by House Republicans. The investigation, led by the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, found that billions of dollars in US defence grants supported joint work with entities identified as security risks by the US government.The report states that between June 2023 and June 2025, over 1,400 research publications were produced with funding from US defence agencies and in collaboration with Chinese partners. More than half of these publications involved Chinese organisations affiliated with China’s defence research and industrial base, including some on US government blacklists.Pentagon grants linked to Chinese military-related organisationsThe investigation uncovered that approximately 700 US defence grants, worth over $2.5 billion, supported research with Chinese entities during the two-year period. These projects spanned critical technological fields such as hypersonic technology, semiconductors, artificial intelligence, advanced materials, and next-generation propulsion. Many of these technologies have known military applications, according to the 80-page report.In one case, a nuclear scientist at Carnegie Science, a Washington-based research institution, participated extensively in Pentagon-backed research while simultaneously holding appointments at the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Hefei Institute of Physical Sciences. The scientist, whose research includes high-energy materials and high-pressure physics, was honoured in China for contributing to its national development goals, as reported by the Associated Press.Another project involved Arizona State University and the University of Texas working with researchers from Shanghai Jiao Tong University and Beihang University. Their study, funded by the Office of Naval Research, the Army Research Office, and NASA, focused on high-stakes decision-making in uncertain environments. The congressional report indicated that this research could directly apply to electronic warfare and cyber defence.Defence Department policies and oversight gapsThe report criticised current US Department of Defense policies, which permit collaboration with foreign institutions that are not under classified or export-controlled restrictions. Some Pentagon officials argued that research should remain open as long as it is neither controlled nor classified, as quoted by the Associated Press.The Shanghai and Beihang universities involved in the projects are linked to China’s defence sector. Shanghai Jiao Tong University is supervised by a central agency responsible for defence technology development, while Beihang University is associated with the People’s Liberation Army and specialises in aerospace programmes.Legislative recommendations and proposed restrictionsThe report makes over a dozen recommendations to tighten controls on US defence research collaborations. One key proposal includes prohibiting Pentagon funding from going to projects involving Chinese entities that appear on US blacklists or are linked to China’s defence sector.House Republicans also backed legislation introduced by Representative John Moolenaar of Michigan, which would ban the Department of Defense from funding US universities engaged in joint research institutes with Chinese universities.As reported by the Associated Press, Under Secretary of Education Nicholas Kent said the findings "highlight the vulnerability of federally funded research to foreign infiltration on America’s campuses" and stressed the need for increased transparency and a comprehensive government approach to protect against foreign influence.Universities scaling back collaborationsIn response to rising concern over Chinese partnerships, several US universities have already ended joint programmes with Chinese institutions. However, the congressional committee clarified that it does not seek to end all academic collaborations with China—only those connected to its military or defence-related entities.The Chinese Embassy did not respond to requests for comment on the report, and the US Department of Defense has also not issued a response, as reported by the Associated Press.