WASHINGTON — WASHINGTON (AP) — For years, American and Chinese scientists have worked side by side on cutting-edge technologies through open research, the results of which are freely shared and available to everyone. But this openness, a long-standing practice that is renowned for advancing knowledge, is causing alarm among some American lawmakers.
They are concerned that China, now seen as the most formidable challenger to American military dominance, is using open research to catch up with the US in military equipment and even gain an advantage. And they call for action.
“For too long, our adversaries have exploited America's colleges and universities to advance their interests, while risking our national security and innovation,” said Sen. Tom Cotton, Republican of Arkansas and chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee. He introduced legislation that would impose new restrictions on federally funded research collaborations with scientists at several Chinese institutions that work with the Chinese military, as well as with institutions in other countries deemed hostile to U.S. interests.
The House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party has prioritized protecting American research, accusing Beijing of weaponizing open research by turning it into a “pipeline of foreign talent and military modernization.”
Growing concerns on Capitol Hill threaten academic connections between two generations between countries, even though the world's two largest economies are located moving away from each other through tariffs and trade barriers. The relationship has moved from interaction to competition, if not outright hostility.
“Foreign adversaries are increasingly exploiting the open and collaborative environment of U.S. academic institutions for their own purposes,” said James Cangialosi, director of the National Counterintelligence and Security Center, which in August issued an advisory calling on universities to do more to protect research from foreign interference.
The House committee released three reports in September alone. They aim accordingly Pentagon-funded research attracting Chinese scientists associated with the military; joint US-China institutions who are preparing STEM talent for China; and visa policies that allowed Chinese military-connected students to earn Ph.D. programs at American universities. The reports recommend more laws to protect research in the United States. tightening visa policy vet Chinese students and scholars and end academic partnerships that could be used to enhance China's military power.
More than 500 U.S. universities and institutes have collaborated with Chinese military researchers in recent years to help Beijing develop advanced military technologies such as anti-jamming communications and hypersonic vehicles, according to the company. report US private intelligence group Strider Technologies.
Despite the U.S. government's efforts in recent years to create barriers to such cooperation and China's military buildup, the practice is still common, according to Strider, who is based in Salt Lake City, Utah.
The report identifies nearly 2,500 publications produced in collaboration between U.S. organizations and Chinese military research institutions in 2024 in STEM research, which includes physics, engineering, materials science, computer science, biology, medicine and geology. Although this number peaked at more than 3,500 in 2019, before some new restrictive measures came into force, the level of cooperation remains high, the report said.
These collaborations not only facilitate “potentially illicit knowledge transfers,” but also support China’s “state-led efforts to attract top international talent, often to the detriment of U.S. national interests,” the report says.
Foreign countries could exploit American research by stealing secrets for military and commercial use, poaching talented researchers for foreign companies and universities and recruiting students and researchers as potential spies, authorities say.
Creating an environment of sound academic research requires funding and long-term support. However, stealing the fruits of this labor can be as simple as hacking into a university network, hiring researchers, or exploiting the research itself. That's why officials say it's so tempting for American adversaries looking to take advantage of American institutions and research.
The Department of Homeland Security's latest threat assessment report highlights concerns that American adversaries—and China in particular—are seeking to illegally acquire American technology. Authorities say China is seeking to steal military and computer technologies that could give the United States an advantage, as well as the latest commercial innovations.
Abigail Coplin, assistant professor of sociology, science, technology and society at Vassar College, said there are already safeguards in place to protect classified information and anything deemed sensitive for federally funded research.
She also said that open research goes both ways, benefiting the U.S., and restrictions can be counterproductive by deterring talent.
“America’s national security interests and economic competitiveness would be better served by continued—if not increased—research funding than by imposing costly restrictions on research,” Coplin said.
Arnie Bellini, a technology entrepreneur and investor, also said efforts to protect U.S. research risk stifling progress if they go too far and prevent U.S. colleges or startups from sharing information about new and emerging technologies. Keeping pace with China will also require greater investment in efforts to protect innovation, said Bellini, who recently donated $40 million to create a new research college in cybersecurity and artificial intelligence at the University of South Florida.
Bellini said it was critical to encourage research and development without revealing secrets to America's enemies. “The reality now in the US is that our digital borders are under siege, and companies of all sizes have a right to worry,” Bellini said.
About 80% of all economic espionage cases prosecuted in the United States involve alleged activities that could benefit China, according to the Justice Department.
Some members of Congress have pushed to restore a Justice Department program created during the first Trump administration to investigate Chinese smart spying. The so-called ” ChinaInitiative ended in 2022 after critics said it failed to address the problem while promoting racist stereotypes against Asian American scientists.
