House Report Finds Pentagon-Funded Research Aided Chinese Military
A congressional investigation has found that Pentagon research funding has supported projects involving Chinese universities and institutes tied to Beijing’s defense industry.
The findings, released by House Republicans on the Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, highlight gaps in how US taxpayer dollars are monitored when academic collaborations cross into national security concerns.
Pentagon Grants and Chinese Links
According to the 80-page report, between June 2023 and June 2025, more than 1,400 research papers were published with Pentagon support that involved Chinese partners.
These publications stemmed from about 700 defense grants worth more than $2.5 billion.
Over half of the papers involved institutions connected to China’s defense research and industrial base, including some on US government watchlists.
The research spanned hypersonic technology, semiconductors, artificial intelligence, advanced materials, and next-generation propulsion — fields with direct military applications.
The report cited cases such as a Carnegie Science nuclear scientist working on Pentagon-backed research while also holding posts at Chinese institutes linked to weapons development.
Another example involved US universities collaborating with Shanghai Jiao Tong University and Beihang University on decision-making research with potential uses in electronic warfare.
Policy Gaps and Legislative Push
The investigation argues that current Defense Department policies, which allow unclassified and uncontrolled research to remain open, do not adequately prevent exploitation by foreign militaries.
Committee chairman Representative John Moolenaar (R-Mich) has introduced legislation that would bar Pentagon funding from going to projects tied to Chinese institutions flagged as security risks.
The bill also seeks to cut funding for US universities that maintain joint institutes with Chinese schools.
A senior Education Department official, Nicholas Kent, said the report underscores the need for stronger transparency around universities’ international ties and a coordinated federal response to foreign influence in research.
The committee emphasized it is not calling for an end to all US-China academic collaboration, but specifically those involving entities with military affiliations.
Beijing has defended scientific cooperation as mutually beneficial, while the Pentagon did not respond to requests for comment.
