Republicans urge US universities to cut ties with Chinese-backed scholarship program
Share this @internewscast.com

WASHINGTON (AP) — House Republicans are calling on seven American universities to sever their connections with a Chinese scholarship initiative, which lawmakers describe as a “nefarious mechanism” aimed at appropriating technology for the Chinese government.

In correspondence addressed to Dartmouth College, the University of Notre Dame, and five additional institutions, leading members of the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party expressed apprehensions regarding these schools’ collaborations with the China Scholarship Council, a China-funded overseas study program.

This program facilitates the study of hundreds of Chinese graduate students annually at U.S. universities. Post-graduation, these students are mandated to return to China for a period of two years. The letters, dispatched on Tuesday, highlighted the Republicans’ view of this arrangement as a national security concern.

“CSC purports to be a joint scholarship program between U.S. and Chinese institutions; however, in reality it is a CCP-managed technology transfer effort that exploits U.S. institutions and directly supports China’s military and scientific growth,” wrote Republican Rep. John Moolenaar, chair of the committee.

The Chinese Embassy didn’t immediately respond to a request by The Associated Press for comment.

Dartmouth said Wednesday it has had fewer than 10 participants in the program over the last decade and already had decided to end its participation. Notre Dame said it began the process of terminating its association with the program earlier this year. University of Tennessee said it had also received the letter and was reviewing the committee’s request.

Letters were also sent also to Temple University and the University of California campuses in Davis, Irvine and Riverside. The committee said it’s opening a review into the program’s “infiltration” of U.S. universities and demanded records related to the program from all seven institutions.

The universities’ partnerships with the council bring up to 15 graduate students a year to Dartmouth, along with up to 60 at Temple and 40 at Notre Dame, according to the letters. Some schools split the cost of attendance with China. Dartmouth, for instance, covers 50% of tuition and provides a stipend to doctoral students.

Among other records, lawmakers are demanding documents showing whether scholarship recipients worked on research funded by the U.S. government.

President Donald Trump and House Republicans have stepped up scrutiny of Chinese students coming to the U.S. In May, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the United States would revoke visas from some Chinese students studying in “critical fields.” During his first term, Trump restricted visas for students affiliated with China’s “military-civil fusion strategy.”

Many U.S. universities acknowledge a need to improve research security but caution against treating Chinese scholars with hostility and suspicion, saying only small numbers have been involved in espionage.

China is the second-largest country of origin for foreign students in the U.S., behind only India. In the 2023-24 academic year, more than 270,000 international students were from China, making up roughly a quarter of all foreign students in the United States. For a majority of them, their college tuition is paid by their families, rather than by the Chinese government. Many stay to work in the U.S., while some return to China after graduation.

Moolenaar has made it a priority to end partnerships between U.S. universities and China. In May, he pressed Duke University to cut its ties with a Chinese university, saying it allowed Chinese students to gain access to federally funded research at Duke. Under pressure from the committee, Eastern Michigan University ended a partnership with two Chinese universities in June.

Last year, House Republicans issued a report finding that hundreds of millions of dollars in federal funding had gone toward research that ultimately boosted Chinese advancements in artificial intelligence, semiconductor technology and nuclear weapons. The report argued China’s academic collaborations served as a “Trojan horses for technology transfer,” accusing China of “insidious” exploitation of academic cooperation.

___

Associated Press writer Cheyanne Mumphrey in Phoenix contributed to this report.

___

The Associated Press’ education coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.

Share this @internewscast.com
You May Also Like
Drone surveillance catches kids in dangerous high-speed stunt atop moving subway train in New York City

Drone Captures Risky High-Speed Stunt by Kids on New York City’s Moving Subway Train

Four young individuals, including one 12-year-old, were caught by police after being…
First-round leader picks at Royal Portrush

Top Selections for Initial Round Leaders at Royal Portrush

Gambling content 21+. The New York Post may receive an affiliate commission…
Texas woman accused of plotting ex-husband's murder with fentanyl-laced chocolates under indictment

Texas Woman Indicted for Allegedly Planning Ex-Husband’s Murder Using Fentanyl-Tainted Chocolates

A Texas woman faced charges last week after authorities alleged she attempted…
Vance Boelter: Federal grand jury indicts man accused of killing former Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman

Vance Boelter Faces Federal Indictment for Alleged Murder of Ex-Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman

MINNEAPOLIS — A federal grand jury has charged a man in connection…
Photo of Nilton Vieira Junior.

Husband Allegedly Mutilates Romantic Rival Before Fatal Attack, Apprehended in Chains

A MAN accused of cutting of his wife’s lover’s penis off with…
California professor arrested, accused of throwing tear gas canister at federal agents during marijuana farm

California Professor Charged with Throwing Tear Gas at Federal Agents at Cannabis Farm

A professor from California has been taken into custody for reportedly throwing…
Suki Waterhouse hospitalized for hernia from wearing tight pants

Suki Waterhouse Hospitalized for Hernia After Wearing Tight Pants

Fashion can be deadly. Suki Waterhouse told fans on Monday that she…
Fernandina residents split over city’s paid parking proposal

Fernandina Residents Divided on New Paid Parking Plan

City leaders in Fernandina Beach heard presentations from top parking vendors, sparking…
ICE ramps up detention without bond hearings

ICE Increases Detentions Without Offering Bond Hearings

Todd Lyons, the acting director of ICE, informed employees on July 8…
Teen run over by a truck while sunbathing on the beach

Teenager Struck by Truck During Beach Sunbathing Session

The driver of a pickup truck allegedly ran over the legs of…
St. Augustine woman escapes attempted kidnapping at work

St. Augustine Woman Successfully Evades Kidnapping Attempt at Workplace

The St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office released a video of an attempted…
Michael Bernard Bell execution: Man who killed Jimmy West, Tamecka Smith to be executed by lethal injection at FL State Prison

Florida State Prison to Execute Michael Bernard Bell for Murders of Jimmy West and Tamecka Smith

STARKE, Fla. — A man who shot and killed two people outside…