Study Unveils Toronto Universities’ Risky Partnerships With China on AI, High-Tech Weaponry

Former intel officer criticizes Canada’s policies as ‘band-aid fix,’ citing incentive gaps in curbing research collaborations with Chinese military institutions

Members of the People's Liberation Army band file out after the closing session of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, outside The Great Hall of People in Beijing, China, on Oct. 22, 2022. Kevin Frayer/Getty Images

A recent study reveals hundreds of publications from Toronto universities collaborating with Chinese academic institutions linked to the military on sensitive research. A former intelligence officer said the ongoing partnerships signal an incentive gap in curbing such practices.

The study, released in October by the Frontier Assessments Unit (FAU), identified a total of 371 publications from collaborations between Canadian universities and seven Chinese academies known as the “Seven Sons of National Defence” due to their strong affiliations with the People’s Liberation Army, the primary military force of communist China.