Pentagon-Funded Research Collaborations with China Raise National Security Concerns

Pentagon-Funded Research Collaborations Raise Alarm

A recent congressional investigation has uncovered that the Pentagon has been funding hundreds of research projects in collaboration with Chinese universities and institutes, many of which are linked to China's defense industry. This revelation has sparked concerns about national security and the potential exploitation of U.S. research partnerships for military gains by China 1

1

2

3

4

Source: AP

Scope and Scale of Collaborations

The investigation, conducted by House Republicans on the Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, identified 1,400 research papers published between June 2023 and June 2025 that acknowledged Pentagon support and involved Chinese partners. These publications were funded by approximately 700 defense grants totaling over $2.5 billion 1

1

2

3

4

More than half of these collaborations involved organizations affiliated with China's defense research and industrial base. The research covered critical areas such as hypersonic technology, semiconductors, artificial intelligence, advanced materials, and next-generation propulsion 1

1

2

3

4

Specific Cases of Concern

The report highlighted several troubling instances of collaboration:

1. A nuclear scientist at Carnegie Science in Washington worked on Pentagon-backed research while holding appointments at Chinese institutions. The scientist's research on high-energy materials and high-pressure physics has potential applications in nuclear weapons development 1

   1

   2

   2

   3

   3

   4

   4

   .

2. A joint project involving Arizona State University, the University of Texas, and Chinese universities studied decision-making in uncertain environments, which has direct applications for electronic warfare and cyber defense 1

   1

   2

   2

   3

   3

   4

   4

   .

Policy Gaps and Recommendations

The investigation revealed that current Defense Department policies do not explicitly prohibit research partnerships with foreign institutions on U.S. government blacklists. In response, the report makes several recommendations 1

1

2

3

4

1. Prohibit Pentagon research collaboration with entities on U.S. blacklists or known to be part of China's defense research and industrial base.

2. Increase transparency around U.S. universities' international ties.

3. Implement a "whole-of-government approach" to safeguard against foreign influence in research.

Related Stories

US-China Research Collaboration Raises Concerns Over Military Tech Advancements

US House Passes Bipartisan Package to Counter China's Influence

Pentagon adds Alibaba, Baidu to Chinese military companies list, blocking U.S. defense contracts

Chinese military acquired Nvidia AI chips despite US export controls, research reveals

Proposed Legislation

Committee chairman Rep. John Moolenaar (R-Michigan) has proposed new legislation that would prohibit Defense Department funding for projects involving researchers affiliated with Chinese entities identified as security risks. The bill also suggests banning Pentagon funding for U.S. universities operating joint institutes with Chinese universities 1

1

2

3

4

Balancing Collaboration and Security

While the report calls for scaling back research collaborations with China, investigators emphasized that they are not seeking to end all academic and research partnerships. Instead, they aim to focus on limiting collaborations specifically connected to the Chinese military and its research and industrial base 1

1

2

3

4

As tensions between the U.S. and China continue to rise in the realms of technology and arms development, this report underscores the complex challenge of balancing international scientific cooperation with national security concerns.