Overview

• The Stanford Review published findings on May 7, 2025, alleging a Chinese Communist Party (CCP) intelligence campaign at Stanford University targeting sensitive STEM research, particularly in artificial intelligence.
• The investigation uncovered that a CCP agent, under the alias Charles Chen, impersonated a Stanford student for years to recruit peers and gather intelligence on U.S.-China research topics.
• Chinese students at Stanford, some funded by the Chinese Scholarship Council, are reportedly pressured to align research priorities with state directives and relay sensitive information back to China.
• Stanford University has reaffirmed its commitment to national security, announced a review of its research security protocols, and is coordinating with federal law enforcement to address the allegations.
• The revelations come amid heightened U.S.-China tensions and ongoing concerns over foreign academic espionage at American universities, particularly in cutting-edge technology fields.