Federal Probe Into UC Berkeley’s Concealed Chinese Funding Reveals National Security Breach

The U.S. Department of Education is investigating UC Berkeley for failing to disclose $220 million in foreign funding, primarily from China, for a joint research institute with Tsinghua University—violating legal reporting requirements for gifts exceeding $250,000.

The undisclosed funding raised concerns about technology transfer to China, including dual-use research potentially benefiting its defense and intelligence sectors, as highlighted in a 2023 House report.

Berkeley’s case reflects systemic issues, with similar undisclosed partnerships (e.g., University of Pittsburgh) funneling U.S. research into Chinese military programs. Past lax oversight allowed $6.5 billion in unreported foreign funds to enter U.S. universities since 2020.

After deprioritizing enforcement, the DOE now scrutinizes decades of transactions retroactively, aided by bipartisan support and Treasury audits. Parallel probes target Harvard for hidden Chinese payments tied to military research.

Noncompliance risks loss of federal grants and exposes U.S. institutions to espionage. The case underscores the tension between global collaboration and safeguarding national security in technological innovation.