Michigan Republican Representative John Moolenaar, chair of the House Select Committee on China, sent a letter to the Defense Department this month urging it to expand the list of Chinese institutions barred from receiving U.S. research funding. The proposal calls for adding 58 additional Chinese universities and 62 Chinese technology labs to the existing “1286 list,” which already restricts collaboration with entities deemed a compliance risk.
National‑security focus
The suggested additions target schools and labs that work in high‑stakes fields such as semiconductors, artificial intelligence and quantum computing. Moolenaar argues that allowing U.S. researchers to partner with these institutions could jeopardize American technological leadership and give foreign adversaries access to critical breakthroughs.
Trump administration’s stance
President Donald Trump, who refers to the Defense Department as the “War Department,” has consistently emphasized the need to protect American innovation from foreign exploitation. Under his administration, the department is prohibited from providing federal research dollars to any entity on the 1286 list, and collaboration with listed schools is labeled a “compliance risk” that could endanger federal funding.
In August, the department announced an investigation into 30 U.S. universities to determine whether they were working with institutions already on the list. Moolenaar’s request expands that effort, seeking to pre‑emptively block further cooperation that could threaten national security.
Tsinghua University highlighted
Among the schools singled out is Tsinghua University, a premier Chinese university that has educated many of the nation’s business and political leaders. The university’s business school hosts advisory board members from major U.S. corporations, including the CEOs of Nvidia, Apple and Advanced Micro Devices. While these ties are intended to foster commercial exchange, Moolenaar contends they also create pathways for sensitive technology to flow to China.
Representatives from Nvidia, Apple and AMD declined to comment on the matter, and Tsinghua did not respond to requests for comment.
Implications for U.S. research
If the Defense Department adopts Moolenaar’s recommendations, U.S. researchers at universities and labs across the country could face new restrictions when seeking collaborative projects with the added Chinese institutions. The move would align with the administration’s broader strategy to safeguard American intellectual property and maintain a competitive edge in emerging technologies.
Critics of the proposal argue that tighter restrictions may hinder academic freedom and slow the pace of scientific discovery. However, supporters, including many in the defense and intelligence communities, view the measure as a necessary safeguard against espionage and technology transfer that could compromise U.S. security.
Next steps
The Defense Department has not yet responded to Moolenaar’s letter. The administration is expected to review the request as part of its ongoing effort to tighten controls on foreign research partnerships.
Original reporting: Appleton, WI News Feed (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
