The Biden administration’s Department of Defense spent more than $2.5 billion on sensitive military-related research that was performed in collaboration with the Chinese Community Party. Now, lawmakers warn that working relationship may have provided one of America’s biggest adversaries with key information regarding U.S. military and defense strategy.
The House Republicans on the Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party released a report on Friday detailing the exploitation. More than 1,400 research papers and publications were funded by Biden’s DOD and created in tandem with the People’s Republic of China. At least half of the papers were created with groups connected to China’s defense research and industrial base, according to the report.
Some of the topics addressed in the research include artificial intelligence, cyber warfare, intelligence, and surveillance. The information was able to be exploited because of “shortcomings in DOD policies and practices to safeguard taxpayer-funded research,” according to the report.
One of the DOD shortfalls highlighted in the report is that “The DOD has not taken a clear policy position — within its risk matrix or broader research security framework — on engagements with foreign entities that pose ethical and human rights risks,” which allows for funding like this to begin in the first place.
The report revealed that many DOD grants have funded or are continuing to fund groups like the “Seven Sons of National Defense,” a group of Chinese universities that have direct ties to the People’s Liberation Army. Many of the groups are known for being adversaries of the U.S. government, as well as committing human rights atrocities, the report explains.
“Balancing academic freedom and open science with national security interests is important,” the report reads. “However, unlike in democratic societies — where the norms of scientific openness are grounded in reciprocal trust, transparency, and research integrity — PRC institutions operate under a state-directed research model that is deeply politicized and subordinate to national strategic objectives, including military and economic priorities.”
Research relationships also included groups that reinforced and promoted China’s widespread surveillance strategy.
“Failing to safeguard American research from hostile foreign exploitation will continue to erode U.S. technological dominance and place our national defense capabilities at risk,” the report reads. “The time for passive risk tolerance is over. American taxpayer dollars should be used to defend the nation — not strengthen its foremost strategic competitor.”
Select Committee on the CCP Chairman John Moolenaar (R., M.I.) introduced the Securing American Funding and Expertise from Adversarial Research Exploitation Act of 2025 (SAFE Research Act) in response to the committee’s findings.
Included in the bill is a prohibition of STEM research with entities that pose a national security threat, an ending to all funding to colleges and universities that collaborate with foreign adversaries, and a requirement of more transparency around activities with foreign adversaries.
The DOD did not respond to National Review’s request for comment by the time of publication.