The University of Michigan is severing ties with a well-known Chinese university, following a series of events involving five Chinese students who were charged for engaging in suspicious activities near a remote military site.
In a letter addressed to a congressman, Santa Ono, the President of the University of Michigan, stated that after conducting a comprehensive evaluation, the university has taken the necessary steps to officially terminate its partnership with Shanghai Jiao Tong University in Shanghai, China. This process will span over a period of six months.
Ono emphasized that the university places a high value on academic international partnerships but also takes matters of national security very seriously. As a result, they will be implementing stricter vetting procedures for visa requirements for international students.
American universities are increasingly severing ties with Chinese universities due to concerns from U.S. lawmakers. There is a worry that American involvement in these partnerships could inadvertently contribute to the development of critical technology that could enhance China’s military capabilities.
The Georgia Institute of Technology and the University of California, Berkeley, have announced that they will no longer continue their partnerships in China.
In Michigan, Rep. John Moolenaar, the chair of the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, reached out to Ono with a request to shut down the joint program. The reason behind this request was the charges brought against the Chinese students in October for their involvement in lying and attempting to conceal their actions. The confrontation with the students took place in August 2023, during the late hours near Camp Grayling, where a significant number of individuals had gathered for summer drills.
The five individuals are no longer present in the United States and have not made an appearance in court.
Moolenaar expressed in his letter that the Chinese university possesses departments and laboratories that are closely associated with the military. He highlighted their advanced research programs that have dual-use capabilities, as well as their extensive operational training platforms. Moolenaar emphasized that these factors contribute to China’s military modernization and intelligence capabilities. In response, Ono notified Moolenaar on Friday about the university’s decision to terminate the partnership.
Two Chinese nationals, who were studying for their master’s degrees at the University of Michigan, were convicted and subsequently sentenced to prison in 2020. The reason behind their imprisonment was their illegal act of photographing sites at a naval air station situated in Key West, Florida.
In a rare and unusual incident, a Chinese student from the University of Michigan faced charges for casting an illegal ballot during the early voting. This case highlights the involvement of a non-U.S. citizen in the voting process, which is highly irregular.