US university to end China partnerships amid concerns over military ties

Georgia Tech is ending its research and educational partnerships in the Chinese cities of Tianjin and Shenzhen, the US university said on Friday, following scrutiny from Congress over its collaboration with entities allegedly linked to China’s military.

In May, the US House of Representatives’ select committee on China wrote to Georgia Tech asking for details on its research with China’s northeastern Tianjin University on cutting-edge semiconductor technologies.

The Chinese school and its affiliates were added in 2020 to the US Commerce Department’s export restrictions list for actions contrary to US national security, including trade secret theft and research collaboration to advance China’s military.

Spokeswoman Abbigail Tumpey said in an email that Georgia Tech has been assessing its posture in China since Tianjin University was added to the entity list.

“Tianjin University has had ample time to correct the situation. To date, Tianjin University remains on the Entity List, making Georgia Tech’s participation with Tianjin University, and subsequently Georgia Tech Shenzhen Institute (GTSI), no longer tenable,” Tumpey said.