A report from the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party alleges that Harvard University has co-authored more than 140 research publications with researchers from Chinese universities linked to Beijing's military and defense-industrial base. These Chinese institutions include the so-called "Seven Sons of National Defense," a group identified by the Pentagon as central to China’s defense research and military modernization efforts.

The committee's investigation, reviewed by Fox News Digital ahead of its public release on August 13, 2026, highlights that Harvard's collaborations span dozens of disciplines, with engineering representing the largest share of research involving these Chinese defense-linked universities. Notably, Harvard researchers also co-authored a 2023 paper with a researcher from China’s National University of Defense Technology, an institution on a U.S. restricted list.

The report criticizes Harvard for allegedly failing to adequately safeguard research collaborations with Chinese institutions, potentially enabling advancements in technological and military capabilities of a nation considered hostile by the committee. Harvard reportedly received over $600 million from China under the federal Section 117 foreign-gift disclosure system, the highest amount reported by any American university.

Harvard professor Winnie Yip, who helped organize an executive education program implicated in the report, told committee investigators she was unaware that the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps (XPCC) was a sanctioned entity at the time and had not received training on sanctions compliance.

The findings come amid heightened scrutiny of academic collaborations with Chinese institutions, especially those linked to the military, reflecting ongoing concerns about national security and intellectual property protection.

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