House committee concerned about UC Berkeley’s China connections.
The House Select Subcommittee on the Chinese Communist Party Demands Information from UC Berkeley
The House Select Subcommittee on the Chinese Communist Party is demanding the University of California, Berkeley provide a trove of documents and information related to the school’s ties to a university in China.
“The CCP abuses seemingly innocuous research collaborations like the one between Berkeley and Tsinghua to advance PRC science and technology goals at the expense of the United States,” the letter says. “The PRC has sent thousands of military scientists abroad to gather scientific-military know-how, obtain sensitive details regarding research projects and emerging technologies, and to gain access to American academics, their research, and their networks.”
Partnership with Tsinghua University
UC Berkeley’s partnership with Tsinghua University centers on the Tsinghua-Berkeley Shenzhen Institute, a joint research institute that involves the Shenzhen government. The institute marks one of the closest collaborations between a U.S.-based university and China.
In the letter, the lawmakers noted the institute engages in technological research that will likely be used for military purposes and collaborates with companies that are prohibited by the U.S. government from receiving “sensitive U.S. technology.” The letter also chastised the school for failing to report funding from the Chinese government for UC Berkeley research, a violation of Section 117 of the Higher Education Act, which requires U.S. universities to disclose funding from foreign governments.
“Despite this extensive collaboration, publicly available information suggests that Berkeley has failed to disclose properly its contracts with its PRC partners as required by law,” the letter says. “Berkeley appears to have never declared any gift or contract from the PRC government, notwithstanding a reported agreement by the Shenzhen government to provide $220 million to build a campus in Shenzhen.”
The lawmakers have given the California university until July 27 to comply with their request.
The Washington Examiner has reached out to UC Berkeley for comment.
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