US lawmaker question top US universities over Chinese nationals in sensitive STEM research

Washington DC [US], May 30 : Chairman John Moolenaar of the House Select Committee on China has sent a letter to the leaders of Carnegie Mellon, Purdue University, Stanford University, the University of Illinois, the University of Maryland, and the University of Southern California, asking for details about their policies and practices related to the enrollment of Chinese national students in advanced STEM programs and their engagement in federally funded research, as reported by the Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party (SCCCP).

The letter underscores the growing dangers associated with China's deliberate attempts to leverage American universities for technological and military gains.

Intelligence officials have indicated that American campuses are vulnerable targets for espionage and intellectual property theft; however, prestigious universities continue to enroll significant numbers of Chinese nationals in crucial research programs, prioritising financial gain over the long-term national security and education of American students in vital fields, as stated in the SCCCP release.

"The Chinese Communist Party has established a well-documented, systematic pipeline to embed researchers in leading US institutions, providing them direct exposure to sensitive technologies with dual-use military applications," said Chairman Moolenaar. "America's student visa system has become a Trojan horse for Beijing, providing unrestricted access to our top research institutions and posing a direct threat to our national security. If left unaddressed, this trend will continue to displace American talent, compromise research integrity, and fuel China's technological ambitions at our expense," as quoted by the SCCCP release.

"The United States is at a dangerous crossroads where the pursuit of short-term financial gains by academic institutions jeopardises long-term global technological leadership and national security. Our nation's universities, long regarded as the global standard for excellence and innovation, are increasingly used as conduits for foreign adversaries to illegally gain access to critical research and advanced technology. Nonetheless, too many US universities continue to prioritise financial incentives over the education of American students, domestic workforce development and national security," he said.

"They do so by admitting large numbers of Chinese nationals into advanced STEM programs, potentially at the expense of qualified Americans. Accordingly, we write to request information regarding your university's policies and oversight mechanisms concerning the enrollment of Chinese national undergraduate, graduate, and PhD students, their involvement in federally funded research, and the security of sensitive technologies developed on campus," the release said.

The House Select Committee on the CCP will persist in examining how US educational institutions might be aiding the CCP's worldwide objectives and will seek policy measures to protect American technological supremacy, the announcement stated.

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