Harvard’s Research Collaborations with Chinese Institutions Under Scrutiny

A recent report by the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party has raised concerns about Harvard University’s research partnerships with Chinese institutions. These collaborations include universities linked to China’s military and defense sectors. The report scrutinizes Harvard’s engagement with these institutions and suggests it may enhance China’s technological and military capabilities.

According to the report, researchers from Harvard co-authored over 140 publications with Chinese counterparts from several institutions, including the so-called ‘Seven Sons of National Defense.’ These universities are identified by U.S. officials as key players in China’s defense research and military advancement. The collaboration with these entities has led the committee to question whether Harvard’s research security measures are adequate.

The report also notes that Harvard received more than $600 million from China, a figure confirmed by the Education Department’s Section 117 foreign-gift disclosure system. This financial involvement raises the need for stricter oversight of Harvard’s research endeavors and disclosures.

U.S. officials have long warned that China leverages academic collaborations to enhance its military and surveillance capabilities.

One example highlighted involved a 2023 paper on bio-inspired soft robots for deep-sea exploration. This study was authored by a Harvard-affiliated researcher and a colleague from Beihang University, an institution on the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Entity List for its defense connections. The committee expressed concern over potential military applications of this research.

In another case, Harvard researchers collaborated on a study involving magnetic materials with the National University of Defense Technology, also on a U.S. restricted list. The study received partial support from the U.S. Army Research Office.

The committee’s report included publications in various fields, with engineering being the most prominent in terms of collaborations with the Seven Sons institutions.

Committee Chairman Rep. John Moolenaar expressed concern over Harvard’s continued partnerships with entities connected to China’s military, suggesting that this investigation should lead to reforms to reduce Chinese influence and prioritize secure American research.

The report also reviewed Harvard’s executive education program with China’s National Healthcare Security Administration. It noted participation by officials linked to the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps (XPCC), which the U.S. sanctioned for human rights abuses.

The committee contends that Harvard’s current approach to research compliance is too focused on legal technicalities and overlooks broader national security risks associated with partnerships involving Chinese military-linked institutions. It recommends prohibiting research partnerships with entities on U.S. sanctioned lists and calls for centralized research-security oversight at Harvard.

The report urges Congress to tighten foreign-funding disclosure rules for universities to ensure transparency and national security.