2 weeks ago
GOP Probe Alleges Harvard Put China Ties Over US Security
Some people in the US government made a big report about Harvard University.
They said Harvard cares more about being friends with China than about keeping America safe.
The report is called "Compromised Independence" and it is 53 pages long.
It says Harvard researchers worked with scientists from Chinese schools that help the Chinese military.
Some of this work, like making robots, could be used for both peaceful and wartime things.
The report also says a Harvard public health school had a program that people from a Chinese group with soldiers might have attended.
That group is banned by the US government.
The report says Harvard also made a special organization to get around some money rules.
The people who wrote the report want Harvard to follow stricter safety rules.
Harvard has not said anything publicly about the final report yet.
A Republican-led congressional investigation released a 53-page report accusing Harvard University of prioritizing ties with China over US national security.
The report alleged Harvard-affiliated researchers worked with scholars from universities linked to China's defense research and industrial base, including on robotics.
It said Harvard's Chan School of Public Health ran an executive education program possibly attended by members of the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, though it acknowledged attendance evidence was unclear.
The committees alleged Harvard Global, a non-profit affiliate, was structured to route funding around federal foreign funding disclosure laws.
The report urged Harvard to centralize research security, overhaul vetting procedures, and bar collaboration with sanctioned entities; Harvard had no new public response to the final report.
- Who
- The House Select Committee on China and the House Education and Workforce Committee, with chairs John Moolenaar and Tim Walberg, targeting Harvard University.
- What
- A congressional probe alleging Harvard prioritized China ties over US national security and violated disclosure rules.
- Where
- Washington, DC.
- When
- Report release date not specified in the article.
- Why
- The committees allege Harvard failed to protect US research and innovation and collaborated with entities linked to China's military and sanctions lists.
Academic openness and institutional defense
National security scrutiny
Research collaboration with China
Academic openness and institutional defense
International academic collaboration is valuable and the allegations are not conclusive; the organizing professor testified she was not informed of any vetting requirement.
National security scrutiny
Harvard-affiliated researchers collaborated with entities linked to the PLA, and some research has both civilian and military applications.
Harvard Global's funding structure
Academic openness and institutional defense
Harvard said the affiliate was created to accept funding in cases where the university could not accept a sponsor's conditions for legal or financial reasons.
National security scrutiny
The committees allege Harvard created the entity to get around federal foreign funding disclosure laws, and Harvard removed that description from its website after receiving a draft of the report.
Executive education program attendees
Academic openness and institutional defense
The report acknowledged the evidence on attendance was unclear, and the professor who organized the program was not told of any requirement to vet participants.
National security scrutiny
The program may have been attended by members of the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, a US-sanctioned Chinese paramilitary organization.
Key facts
- Report title
- "Compromised Independence: CCP Influence at Harvard University"
- Report length
- 53 pages
- Committees involved
- House Select Committee on China; House Education and Workforce Committee
- Committee chairs
- John Moolenaar (Select Committee); Tim Walberg (Education and Workforce)
- Key allegations
- Research collaboration with PLA-linked entities; possible training of Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps members
- Harvard affiliate cited
- Harvard Global (non-profit affiliate)
- Evidence caveat
- Attendance evidence at the executive education program was described as unclear
- Report recommendations
- Centralize research security, overhaul vetting, hire national security and export-control experts, prohibit collaboration with sanctioned entities
Quotes
Education and Workforce Committee Chairman Tim Walberg
Chairman of the House Education and Workforce Committee
“"The American people expect our nation’s leading universities to protect American research and innovation, and never advance the interests of our nation’s adversaries. Right now, Harvard is failing to deliver on that expectation."”
thehansindia.com
“"Harvard created an entity in a blatant attempt to get around federal foreign funding disclosure laws. That’s unacceptable, especially given Harvard’s history of failing to comply with these requirements."”
thehansindia.com
Sources
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