New details emerge in US investigations of Chinese-American scientists over China links

A US congressional committee has released documents detailing investigations into dozens of researchers, many of whom are Chinese-American. The report, titled "How to Stop China’s Theft of Taxpayer-Funded Research," aims to address concerns about alleged links to China within academia. The documents, comprising hundreds of pages, were generated from investigations conducted by the National Science Foundation’s Office of Inspector General (NSF OIG).

The NSF, which funds a significant portion of American basic research, declined to comment on the matter. The investigations focused on about 30 researchers, examining aspects such as undisclosed Chinese payments, talent program contracts, and grants. While it is unclear if all cases were pursued under the China Initiative, many date back to its active years under President Donald Trump.

The investigation has sparked debate over whether the scrutiny unfairly targets scholars of Chinese descent, potentially threatening academic freedom and international collaboration. Critics argue that the focus on Chinese researchers disproportionately affects those of Chinese heritage, leading to racial profiling and chilling scientific cooperation.

The case of Jane Wu, a Chinese-American neuroscientist at Northwestern University, gained national attention due to her suicide in 2024, following an NIH investigation into undisclosed foreign ties. Wu's case did not appear in the newly released NSF files. The investigations documented various outcomes, with most cases not resulting in criminal charges, though some were referred for criminal investigation, and a few led to prosecutions and later overturned.

Several researchers either changed their employment status or left the United States entirely. The NSF's inspector general recommended suspending grants or barring future federal funding for some researchers. The China Initiative, launched by the Department of Justice in 2018, aimed to counter Chinese economic espionage and theft of US intellectual property.

However, it was halted in 2022 by President Joe Biden, who claimed the program failed to uncover espionage while subjecting Chinese-American researchers to heightened scrutiny. One case not previously disclosed is that of Chu Xiang-qiang, a former Wayne State University physicist and now an associate professor at City University of Hong Kong.

The NSF accused her of undisclosed employment in China, which she denied, stating she had always disclosed her international engagements. The publication of these investigations comes as House committee chairman John Moolenaar advocates for stricter research security rules through the Securing Innovation and Research from Adversaries Act, which would restrict collaborations between federally funded researchers and entities on US government restricted lists, with limited exceptions.