Sen. Rubio seeks to end U.S.-China university partnerships that bolster development of Chinese military technologies

Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) has forwarded correspondence to 22 domestic universities, noting he is encouraging termination of
partnerships in support of Beijing’s military-civil fusion (MCF) strategy.

The issue stands with universities located in the People’s Republic of China (PRC) backing the country’s MCF process of obtaining and developing technology via means that include theft.

“For decades, Beijing has openly exploited the expertise of Chinese students and scholars studying or conducting research in the United States to accelerate the PRC’s economic and military development,” Rubio, vice chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence and a senior member of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, wrote. “For example, according to one study conducted between 2007 and 2017, the PLA reportedly sent more than 2,500 of its own scientists abroad to study and work at foreign universities. Some of these scientists traveled abroad under civilian cover so as to obfuscate their military affiliations.”

Rubio maintains China’s MCF process involves recruiting global professionals whose expertise is exploited through seemingly harmless academic collaboration and exchange.

“I remain deeply concerned by the PLA’s (People’s Liberation Army) aggressive campaign to infiltrate America’s research enterprise,” Rubio concluded. “I respectfully urge you to terminate the above outlined partnership agreement and to take steps to thoroughly vet your other academic partners in the PRC for similar risks involving the misappropriation of academic research.”