The University of Michigan (UM) is facing calls to terminate its Joint Institute with Shanghai Jiao Tong University, with U.S. lawmakers raising concerns that the partnership may aid China’s military development. Rep. John Moolenaar (R-MI), chair of the U.S. House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, recently sent a letter to UM President Santa Ono, urging the university to end the collaboration, citing national security concerns.
In his letter, Moolenaar noted that research at the Joint Institute has reportedly supported China’s defense capabilities, including advancements in nuclear weapons, military aircraft, and anti-corrosion technology. Moolenaar emphasized that UM’s collaboration with China could put federally funded research at risk and compromise U.S. security interests.
The institute’s research reportedly involves scientists from China’s People’s Liberation Army, and it is funded by both U.S. taxpayer dollars and China’s 863 Program, a fund supporting Chinese military technology development. The institute also collaborates with CATL, a Chinese technology company connected to defense projects and forced labor concerns in Xinjiang.
Additionally, students from Shanghai Jiao Tong University who study at UM as part of the partnership reportedly undergo military training and participate in ideological exercises aligned with Chinese government priorities. Moolenaar requested that UM enhance its vetting of international students to protect research integrity on its campus.
The letter comes after several Joint Institute students were accused of spying on Michigan’s Camp Grayling military facility in 2023. More recently, a separate Chinese UM student, unaffiliated with the Joint Institute, was charged with voter fraud, heightening concerns over foreign influence.
As UM faces scrutiny from Congress, Moolenaar’s letter highlights the broader issue of foreign involvement in U.S. academic institutions and its potential impact on national security.
