US-funded research linked to Chinese defense labs totals $943.5M, report finds
Key finding
An independent nonprofit quantified the scale of recent US government-sponsored research linked to laboratories in China, putting the total at $943.5 million. The assessment compiles public grant and contract information to map connections between US funding streams and Chinese research entities with defense affiliations.
Scope and methodology
Authors cross-checked federal funding records with institutional disclosures and partnership lists to identify projects that had any ties to Chinese defense-related institutions. The report focuses on collaborations from multiple US agencies rather than a single program, widening the picture of funding flows.
Security and policy implications
Authors conclude that current safeguards did not prevent taxpayer-financed research from benefiting entities linked to foreign military programs. They recommend more rigorous grant vetting, ongoing monitoring after awards are made, and clearer reporting requirements for international collaborators.
Reactions and potential consequences
Observers critical of past oversight say the totals will prompt congressional reviews and could accelerate restrictions on overseas research partners. Universities and research centers are likely to face increased compliance requirements and reputational scrutiny in funding proposals.
- The analysis was issued by the Center for Research Security & Integrity, a Virginia-based research nonprofit.
- Counting multiple agencies’ awards broadened the estimated dollar figure beyond previously cited amounts.
- Policymakers may now push for automated screening tools and mandatory disclosure clauses in grant applications.
Read Our Expert Analysis
Create an account or login for free to unlock our expert analysis and key takeaways for this development.
By continuing, you agree to receive marketing communications and our weekly newsletter. You can opt-out at any time.
Recommended for you
Germany moves to limit defense suppliers’ dependence on China — and the US
Berlin is tightening scrutiny of domestic defense firms as it ramps up military spending, seeking to cut strategic exposure to rival powers including China and the United States. At the same time, parts of the government are weighing faster contracting rules and export-law changes — steps that could both accelerate delivery and complicate efforts to harden supply chains.
U.S. universities logged more than $5 billion in foreign gifts and contracts in 2025; Qatar led donors
A Department of Education database shows U.S. colleges reported just over $5 billion in foreign gifts and contracts in 2025, with Qatar accounting for roughly one-fifth of that total. The release intensifies scrutiny of overseas funding at major research universities and fuels debate over reporting, national security and politicized oversight.
Defense Spending Surge Redirects $9.8B to Autonomous Systems and Lifts AI Budgets
Congress approved an $839 billion fiscal‑2026 defense appropriation that directs about $9.8 billion to autonomous and unmanned systems and raises the Pentagon’s IT envelope to $66 billion. Paired with roughly $15.1 billion in operational cyber funding and milestone‑linked commercial transactions (equity and contract tranches), the package is compressing the timeline from prototypes to fielded, certifiable autonomy and AI solutions.
NIST moves to restrict foreign researchers, prompting lawmaker pushback
A federal standards lab is implementing new controls that limit how long noncitizen scientists can work onsite, triggering congressional demands for clarity and a temporary pause. Critics warn the measures could shrink specialized talent pools, slow long-term projects, and damage U.S. scientific standing.
Beijing tells firms to drop US and Israeli cyber tools, rattling global vendors
Chinese authorities have instructed domestic organizations to stop using cybersecurity products from companies based in the United States and Israel, according to reporting that names more than a dozen vendors. The directive’s scope and enforcement remain unclear, but responses from affected firms suggest limited direct exposure while China’s large domestic supplier base could absorb demand shifts.
OpenAI alleges Chinese rival DeepSeek covertly siphoned outputs to train R1
OpenAI told U.S. lawmakers that DeepSeek used sophisticated, evasive querying and model-distillation techniques to harvest outputs from leading U.S. AI models and accelerate its R1 chatbot development. The claim sits alongside similar industry reports — including Google warnings about mass-query cloning attempts — underscoring a wider pattern that challenges existing defenses and pushes policymakers to consider provenance, watermarking and access controls.
Pentagon cuts Harvard academic ties amid ideological and China-related concerns
The US Department of Defense will terminate its graduate-level collaboration with Harvard, removing fellowships, professional certificates and related programs and allowing current students time to finish. The decision, justified by the Pentagon as driven by ideological differences and worries over research links to China, intensifies political pressure on elite universities and could reshape military education and research partnerships.
Pentagon’s fleeting blacklist rattles Chinese tech firms and markets
The Pentagon briefly placed several major Chinese technology companies on a roster tying them to China’s military and then removed them within minutes, spurring short-lived market turbulence. The episode, coming as Chinese regulators reportedly circulated guidance to curb use of some U.S. and Israeli cybersecurity tools, underscores broader frictions in technology and security supply chains and raises fresh questions about signaling and process controls ahead of high-level diplomacy.