Universities across Europe are actively collaborating with Chinese military institutions, according to Bild, while the Chinese leadership is using new knowledge from joint research on strategic military equipment. At least 48 German universities are actively involved in this cooperation, the same publication adds.
Army made in Germany
This is the conclusion of an international survey led by Correctiv, Follow the Money and nine other European media outlets, including the Süddeutsche Zeitung, Deutsche Welle and Deutschlandfunk.
Thirty journalists evaluated more than 350,000 scientific studies from 2000 to 2022.
In about 3,000 cases, the researchers collaborated with their Chinese counterparts from military universities.
The research team discovered at least 349 scientific publications with German involvement. And at least 48 German universities are partnering with academic institutions in China, where there is a high risk of proximity to the military.
One of these institutions is the National Defense Technology University (NUDT), a leading military university in China. Scientists from the University of Bonn as well as the University of Stuttgart and the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft have published scientific papers with researchers from the NUDT on possible dual use, the so-called “dual use”.
This means that the results of the research can be used for political purposes, but also for military purposes.
For example, to track humans or improve robot navigation. For years, China’s political leadership under President Xi Jinping has sought to use the knowledge and technology gained through political research and weapons.
German researchers are free to enter into such collaborations, often lured by prestige, money and the best career opportunities. They obviously accept the fact that they also indirectly provide knowledge to the Chinese army.
China expert Mareike Ohlberg of the German Marshall Fund has a clear view on this: cooperation with institutions directly affiliated with the military should be categorically ruled out.
The University of Bonn was basically aware of the Chinese researcher’s connections to the NUDT – however, when asked, he did not see a possible “dual use” case in his work. The same goes for the University of Stuttgart: a spokesman told the research team that this is not a dual-use case and that NUDT is not “directly” involved in the project. The Fraunhofer Institute did not comment on the project when asked.
Binding rules are missing
Asked about the issue, the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) argues that universities are independent institutions and that the federal government is limited to “raising awareness” of the university landscape.
“We are watching with great concern how issues such as restrictions on the freedom of investigation or even the use for military purposes are evolving on the Chinese side,” said Undersecretary of State Jens Brandenburg (BMBF) in an interview. The three ruling parties refer to China as an “opponent of the system” in the coalition agreement.
Given the results of the research, it is doubtful whether the awareness is adequate. Both experts interviewed and Green politician Kai Gehring, chairman of the Bundestag commission of inquiry, are calling for clear red lines in research cooperation with Chinese military installations. “I do not think this is morally justified,” says Gehring.
Source: Capital
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