Federal examination against University of Michigan after arresting Chinese scientists
Federal examination against University of Michigan after arresting Chinese scientists
Washington (AP) - The University of Michigan is under federal observation after Two Chinese scientists were accused of smuggling biological materials into the United States.
federal investigation on university financing
The Ministry of Education initiated an investigation into the foreign financing of the university on Tuesday and refers to the both cases that were only announced days apart. It was found that the "extremely worrying criminal charges" raise concerns about the vulnerability of Michigan compared to national security threats through China.
concerns about research security
"Despite the history of the University of Michigan to downplay their vulnerability towards harmful foreign influences, current reports show that the research laboratories of the university are still susceptible to sabotage," said Paul Moore, the leading investigative lawyer of the ministry.
The former President Donald Trump has made it a priority, the Transparency to increase in dealing with foreign gifts and contracts at US universities, especially by China. Similar studies were initiated at Harvard University, the University of Pennsylvania and the University of California, Berkeley.
political pressure at universities
These steps are supported by Republicans in the Congress, the universities are pushing, Research cooperations to reduce , because they are of the opinion that China is of the opinion, to steal technologies. Michigan ended a partnership with a university in Shanghai in January, after the republicans' pressure in the House of Representatives, which she regarded as a security risk, rose.
examination and allegations
The new investigation requires Michigan financial documents and information about research collaborations with institutions outside the United States. The Ministry of Education accuses Michigan of "incomplete, inaccurate and late" in its public disclosure to foreign funding.
In June,federal authorities raised charges against a Chinese scientist and his girlfriend, who worked in a laboratory at the University of Michigan. The FBI had stated that its efforts had stopped bringing a toxic mushroom to the USA.
Shortly afterwards, another Chinese scientist was arrested who had just entered the United States and is accused of sending biological materials to a laboratory from the University of Michigan.reactions of the university and concerns about national security
In June, the university said that it condemned any actions that undermine national security and announced a review of the protocols on research security. In a letter to the university, however, the Ministry of Education pointed out that some university representatives have reduced the vulnerability of the research collaborations with Chinese institutions. Ann Chih Lin, the director of the Center for Chinese Studies at the University, has been particularly mentioned, which has publicly stated that the threat of technology ie from China is exaggerated."Lin's obvious indifference to the national security concerns of the largest only source of financing for the annual research expenditure of UM - the American taxpayer - is particularly worrying," wrote the officials of the Ministry of Education.
Legal requirements for universities
federal laws oblige universities to report all gifts and contracts from foreign sources that are $ 250,000 or more. This law was largely not enforced up to Trump's first term when the Ministry of Education initiated dozens of inquiries at universities that were accused of not correctly reporting foreign money. The bid administration closed the most of these cases, but the efforts have recently been revived.
Many US universities recognize the need to improve research security, however, warn against treating Chinese scientists with hostility and distrust, since only a small number was involved in espionage.
House Republicans published a report last year, which showed that hundreds of millions of dollars of federal funds have flowed into research that ultimately promoted China's technological progress in areas such as artificial intelligence, semiconductor technology and nuclear weapons.Chinese students at US universities
China is the second largest country of origin for foreign students in the United States, only India is before. In the academic year 2023-24, over 270,000 international students came from China, which corresponds to about a quarter of all foreign students in the United States.
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