U.S. lawmakers are urging the University of Michigan (UM) to terminate its Joint Institute with Shanghai Jiao Tong University in China due to fears of national security risks. Rep. John Moolenaar (R-MI), who chairs the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, sent a letter to UM President Santa Ono, calling for the partnership’s end, citing its potential to aid China’s military.
Moolenaar’s letter notes that the institute’s research has contributed to China’s defense capabilities, including advancements in nuclear weapons, fighter jets, and anti-corrosion technology. He emphasized the need for UM to protect federally funded research, adding that allowing collaboration with China’s military institutions could compromise U.S. security interests.
The Joint Institute is reportedly involved with researchers from China’s People’s Liberation Army and receives funding from both the U.S. government and China’s 863 Program, which supports military research. The institute also collaborates with CATL, a Chinese tech company linked to forced labor practices and China’s defense industry.
Concerns extend to UM’s hosting of Chinese students from Shanghai Jiao Tong University, who reportedly undergo ideological and military training that encourages alignment with Chinese national interests. Moolenaar has requested that UM strengthen its vetting process for international students on campus.
This request follows an incident in 2023 where five students from the Joint Institute were accused of spying on Michigan’s Camp Grayling military facility. Recently, a separate Chinese UM student unrelated to the Joint Institute was charged with voter fraud, sparking additional scrutiny.
As lawmakers urge UM to reconsider its international partnerships, Moolenaar’s letter underscores the need for heightened security around academic collaborations with foreign institutions that may pose risks to U.S. interests.
