The latest House committee report reveals that U.S. federal research funding has indirectly boosted Chinese military advancements.
At a Glance
- House Energy and Commerce Committee Republicans have requested a GAO study on potential threats from China exploiting NIH research.
- Concerns focus on national security risks and unethical use of research involving Chinese military affiliations and ethnic minority data.
- Researchers linked to China’s military defense industry, particularly the “Seven Sons of National Defense,” are under scrutiny.
- UC Berkeley and Georgia Tech have withdrawn from joint research institutes in China due to significant concerns.
- Reports indicate NIH struggles to screen for national security risks.
Federal Research Funding and Chinese Military Advancement
In an alarming development, a House committee report has highlighted that U.S. federal research funding has inadvertently supported China’s technological advancements with potential military applications. The report provides instances where federal funding facilitated collaborations between U.S. researchers and Chinese entities, enhancing China’s capabilities in critical fields such as hypersonics, artificial intelligence, and advanced semiconductors. It suggests implementing tighter controls on federally financed research to avoid such partnerships with Chinese institutions.
Notably, prominent institutions like UC Berkeley and Georgia Tech have decided to withdraw from joint research institutes in China, citing significant concerns regarding research governance and trade compliance. The decision underscores the serious implications of the report’s findings and demonstrates a proactive stance in addressing these risks.
Key Concerns Highlighted in the Report
The House Energy and Commerce Committee Republicans have urged the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to study potential threats stemming from China exploiting National Institutes of Health (NIH) research. National security risks and the unethical use of research, especially involving data from Chinese ethnic minorities like Tibetan or Uyghur populations, are major concerns.
Chinese research entities, including BGI, which operates the China National GeneBank, face scrutiny. The report indicates NIH struggles to screen for national security risks effectively. Furthermore, long-standing warnings from the Department of Energy to the NIH about misuse risks have not been adequately addressed.
“We write to request that the Government Accountability Office (GAO) examine the extent to which the National Institutes of Health (NIH) adequately safeguards research funds from national security concerns related to the Chinese military or over the unethical use of human beings in research studies, especially from entities of concern in China.”
Implications and Future Actions
Researcher affiliations with the “Seven Sons of National Defense,” universities linked to China’s military defense industry, have raised red flags. Additionally, U.S. government funding has led to 1,020 patents for China-based inventors since 2010, with significant contributions from the Pentagon, Department of Energy, NASA, and the Department of Health and Human Services.
Republican Representative John Moolenaar has raised concerns about U.S. taxpayer funding supporting sensitive fields like biotechnology and semiconductors in China. This data may influence calls to cancel or renegotiate the U.S.-China Science and Technology Agreement, which once played a stabilizing role in the bilateral relationship.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and GAO reports have noted issues in safeguarding NIH’s foreign grants. The investigation into the origins of COVID-19 also underscores NIH’s need to vet foreign collaborators more thoroughly. As the data shows patents across fields such as pharmaceuticals, semiconductors, and molecular chemistry, there is an urgent need for more stringent controls.
