Congressman John Moolenaar Chairman of the Select Committee on the CCP | Official Website
House Select Committee on China Chairman John Moolenaar and House Education and Workforce Committee Chairman Tim Walberg have urged Duke University President Vincent Price to terminate the university's partnership with Duke Kunshan University (DKU) in China. The lawmakers expressed concerns over national security risks, citing that DKU's collaboration with Chinese entities has allowed the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) access to sensitive U.S. technology.
In their letter, Moolenaar and Walberg stated that "DKU, established in 2018 in the People’s Republic of China (PRC), now enrolls over 3,000 students across undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral programs and specializes in high-technology fields with direct military applications." They emphasized that this relationship creates a pathway for U.S. innovation to benefit China's military-industrial complex.
The lawmakers also highlighted incidents where American students were allegedly used for CCP propaganda during trips sponsored by DKU. According to them, "students were coached to recite 'I love China' in Mandarin on camera," feeling exploited as part of what they described as a "traveling circus."
Additional information provided indicates that DKU was formed as a joint venture between Duke University and Wuhan University. The latter is involved in defense research areas crucial for China's military operations.
A report titled “CCP on the Quad,” released by the House Select Committee on China along with the House Education and Workforce Committee in September 2024, listed several American universities engaged in STEM-focused collaborations with Chinese institutions. This report raised concerns about these partnerships furthering China's national security interests.
So far, some universities such as Georgia Institute of Technology and the University of California - Berkeley have ended their joint initiatives following similar scrutiny.
