China Accused of Exploiting U.S.-Funded Nuclear Research, Congressional Report Alleges

A recent congressional report has revealed that China is allegedly leveraging partnerships with U.S. researchers, funded by the Department of Energy, to gain access to sensitive nuclear technology and other innovations. This development raises significant national security concerns as the U.S. and China are engaged in a technological and arms rivalry.

Key Takeaways

• China is reportedly exploiting U.S.-funded research collaborations to benefit its military.
• Over 4,300 academic papers involved collaborations between U.S. Department of Energy-funded scientists and Chinese researchers.
• Approximately half of these collaborations involved Chinese researchers affiliated with China’s military or industrial base.
• Federal funds have allegedly supported research with Chinese state-owned entities linked to the military.
• The report calls for enhanced measures to protect U.S. research from exploitation.

Congressional Findings

Investigators from the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party and the House Committee on Education and the Workforce identified a substantial number of academic papers, over 4,300, published between June 2023 and June of the current year. These papers were the result of collaborations between scientists funded by the U.S. Department of Energy and researchers in China. A significant portion, about half, of these collaborations involved Chinese researchers who are affiliated with China’s military or its industrial sector.

Concerns Over Funding and Affiliations

The report highlights particularly concerning findings, indicating that federal funds have been directed towards research collaborations with Chinese state-owned laboratories and universities. These institutions reportedly work directly for China’s military. Some of these entities are even listed in a Pentagon database of Chinese military companies operating within the U.S. Furthermore, the investigation detailed collaborations between U.S. researchers and groups that have been implicated in cyberattacks and human rights abuses in China.

Department of Energy’s Role and Recommendations

The Department of Energy routinely funds advanced research in critical areas such as nuclear energy, nuclear weaponry development and disposal, quantum computing, materials science, and physics, allocating hundreds of millions of dollars annually. The department oversees 17 national laboratories that have been at the forefront of technological development. The report asserts that the Department of Energy has failed for decades to implement adequate measures to prevent its funded research from benefiting China. The authors have proposed several recommendations to strengthen protections, including a standardized approach to assessing national security risks associated with research and requirements for the department to share information about research ties with China with other U.S. government agencies.

China’s Response and Broader Context

In response, the Chinese Embassy in Washington stated that the select committee has "long smeared and attacked China for political purposes and has no credibility to speak of." An embassy spokesperson added that "A handful of U.S. politicians are overstretching the concept of national security to obstruct normal scientific research exchanges, a move that wins no public support and is bound to fail." The Department of Energy has indicated it will review the report to "better assess, understand, and validate its assertions."

This investigation is part of a broader congressional effort to create a firewall that prevents U.S. research from inadvertently bolstering China’s military buildup, especially as the two nations are locked in a significant tech and arms rivalry.

Sources

• China exploits US-funded research on nuclear technology, a congressional report says, ABC News.
• China exploits US-funded nuclear research, congressional report says, AP News.
• China exploits US-funded research on nuclear technology, a congressional report says, The Tri-City Record.

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