CCP agent posed as Stanford student to access research, report says
An agent affiliated with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) attempted to infiltrate research being conducted at Stanford University, according to a new report by a school student newspaper.
According to The Stanford Review, a man claiming to be a Stanford student contacted multiple students researching China, using the alias 'Charles Chen' and offered to pay for a student’s travel costs to visit China.
An agent affiliated with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) attempted to infiltrate research being conducted at Stanford University, according to a new report by a school student newspaper.
According to The Stanford Review, a man claiming to be a Stanford student contacted multiple students researching China. He used the alias “Charles Chen” and offered to pay for a student’s travel costs to visit China.
When investigators looked into the matter, they found Charles Chen had no affiliation with Stanford University but was using a false identity. The Stanford Review reported that experts have concluded that Chen is likely connected to the CCP’s espionage agency.
The tactic of impersonating university students to facilitate obtaining information about research has been described as a “non-traditional collection” effort.
Stanford has substantial connections to China; the university has received more than $64 million in funding from Chinese donors in the past 15 years, according to The Stanford Review.
Earlier this year, the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) warned Stanford that it was at risk of fostering Chinese influence.
“The United States is at a dangerous crossroads where the pursuit of short-term financial gains by academic institutions jeopardizes long-term global technological leadership and national security,” the committee wrote to Stanford President Jonathan Levin on March 19. “Our nation’s universities, long regarded as the global standard for excellence and innovation, are increasingly used as conduits for foreign adversaries to illegally gain access to critical research and advanced technology.”
“Nonetheless, too many U.S. universities continue to prioritize financial incentives over the education of American students, domestic workforce development and national security,” the committee continued.
[RELATED: Education Department announces probe into UC Berkeley for undisclosed foreign funding]
Similarly, the Department of Education announced in April that it would investigate the University of California, Berkeley for potentially failing to report foreign funding.
“The Biden-Harris Administration turned a blind eye to colleges and universities’ legal obligations by deprioritizing oversight and allowing foreign gifts to pour onto American campuses,” Education Secretary Linda McMahon stated at the time.
Previously, in March, the Committee on the CCP wrote to the University of Southern California, Purdue University, the University of Maryland, and others, warning them about potential Chinese infiltration.
Campus Reform has contacted Stanford University for comment. This article will be updated accordingly.
