US Universities Become Soft Targets for China’s Talent Mining

Some U.S. universities prioritize research partnerships and funding pipelines over security protocols.

University of Michigan students walk on campus in Ann Arbor, Mich., on April 3, 2025. Bill Pugliano/Getty Images

Commentary

The past two years have laid bare a troubling pattern: American universities, long heralded as bastions of innovation and openness, have become soft targets for foreign intelligence operations—particularly those linked to China’s Ministry of State Security.