Rep Crane Commends Northern Arizona University for Terminating Partnership with Chinese University

Northern Arizona University (NAU) has discontinued its joint undergraduate program in Electronic Information Engineering with Chongqing University of Posts and Telecommunications (CQUPT) in China, following concerns raised by a congressional report on national security risks associated with such partnerships.

The decision comes after Rep. Eli Crane (R-AZ), a member of the House Committee on Homeland Security, urged NAU to review and end the collaboration in a letter sent last month. The partnership had been flagged in a September 2025 report from the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and the House Committee on Education and the Workforce.

Last month, @ChinaSelect and @EdWorkforceCmte flagged @NAU’s partnership with CQUPT as a potential national security concern.

Fortunately, NAU's leadership took decisive action to end the program and protect the integrity of U.S. research and education.https://t.co/7oJ9mtBH62

— Rep. Eli Crane (@RepEliCrane) October 27, 2025

The Committee’s Majority report, titled “Joint Institutes, Divided Loyalties,” examined joint programs and other collaborations between U.S. and Chinese institutions. It concluded that many such arrangements have been leveraged by the CCP to support military and technological advancements, posing risks to U.S. national security.

The report detailed findings on the vulnerabilities of these partnerships, particularly joint institutes and degree programs operating under the People’s Republic of China (PRC) law. These entities often feature Chinese-majority governing boards, funding tied to CCP priorities, and curricula focused on dual-use technologies such as artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and robotics. Risks identified include unintended technology transfers to China’s military-industrial base, restrictions on academic freedom, ideological indoctrination through mandatory political education, and potential espionage facilitated by PRC surveillance. The analysis drew from thousands of records, open-source research, and U.S. intelligence assessments, noting over 8,800 U.S. government-funded research papers from 2014 to 2024 with co-authors affiliated with PRC defense entities.

Among the examples cited were nearly 150 U.S.-China academic ties involving institutions linked to China’s military, including over 50 detailed cases. NAU’s program with CQUPT, a defense university designated as a Military End-User with roles in civil-military mobilization centers for 3G and broadband communications, was highlighted as one such collaboration. 

Other instances, previously reported by California Globe, included joint degrees with China’s “Seven Sons of National Defense” universities, such as the University of Arizona’s master’s program with Harbin Institute of Technology, and partnerships with entities supervised by blacklisted PRC aerospace corporations, like Saint Martin’s University’s mechanical engineering program with North China Institute of Aerospace Engineering. The report also documented roughly $680 million in Chinese gifts and contracts reported by 14 U.S. universities maintaining joint institutes. However, underreporting remains a concern due to lax enforcement of federal disclosure laws.

Report Reveals CCP Exploits University Ties To Gain Access to DOD Funded Research  https://t.co/IDW36kxdzf @CaliforniaGlobe pic.twitter.com/hDCp1L4kh1

— MattHolloway🎙 (@Matt_HollowayAZ) September 14, 2025

The report issued recommendations for immediate action, urging U.S. institutions to terminate high-risk partnerships to prioritize national security and academic integrity. It called on the federal government to implement stricter measures, including the passage of the Securing American Funding and Expertise from Adversarial Research Exploitation Act of 2025, which prohibits federal STEM funding for collaborations with adversarial entities like the PRC, and the Defending Education Transparency and Ending Rogue Regimes Engaging in Nefarious Transactions Act, which lowers foreign gift reporting thresholds and imposes penalties for non-compliance.

In response to the report, NAU conducted an extensive internal review and announced the program’s closure. The university has halted student recruitment, begun a structured phase-out, and initiated contract termination negotiations with CQUPT. Complete withdrawal is anticipated within 90 days.

Rep. Crane, whose district includes NAU, praised the university’s actions in a statement released Monday.

“I applaud Northern Arizona University’s leadership in reviewing its international partnerships and ensuring that its programs align with national security initiatives,” Crane said. “NAU’s actions reflect a responsible approach to protecting students, faculty, and the integrity of U.S. research and education. We greatly appreciate their commitment to these shared values, as well as all they do for Northern Arizona.”

NAU officials confirmed the steps taken and emphasized the university’s commitment to compliance with federal guidelines for international collaborations. The institution, located in Flagstaff, enrolls more than 28,000 students and maintains several global partnerships, though specifics on other programs were not disclosed.

Crane’s involvement underscores ongoing congressional efforts to address foreign influence in American academia, particularly amid heightened U.S.-China tensions over trade, technology, and national security.

NAU’s move aligns with actions taken by other institutions, including eight universities that shuttered joint institutes following prior investigations, such as the University of California, Berkeley, and the University of Michigan. The University of California system has also curtailed specific China-linked research grants in recent years.