A bombshell investigation by the Stanford Review, published May 7, has uncovered what it described as a widespread Chinese espionage operation at Stanford University.
The student-led probe alleged that the Chinese Communist Party has deeply infiltrated the prestigious institution.
The investigation, first reported by the Review, drew on over a dozen interviews conducted between July 2024 and April 2025. Interviewees included Stanford faculty, students, and independent experts on Chinese intelligence operations.
“This March, Stanford’s President, Dr. Jonathan Levin, received a letter from the Select Committee on the CCP detailing the security risks China poses to STEM research,” the Review reports. “For years, concerns about Chinese espionage have quietly persisted at Stanford.
“Throughout our investigation, professors, students, and researchers readily recounted their experiences of Chinese spying, yet they declined to speak publicly. One student who experienced espionage firsthand was too fearful to recount their story, even via encrypted messaging.
“‘The risk is too high,’ they explained. Transnational repression, $64 million in Chinese funding, and allegations of racial profiling have contributed to a pervasive culture of silence at Stanford and beyond.”
The report continued: “It is this pervasive silence that has compelled us to write. After interviewing multiple anonymous Stanford faculty, students, and China experts, we can confirm that the CCP is orchestrating a widespread intelligence-gathering campaign at Stanford.
“In short, there are Chinese spies at Stanford.”
Chinese spies at college campuses? A bombshell story tonight from the student-run publication @StanfordReview reveals what’s going on at a top American University. @GordonGChang and @tracy_walder discuss tonight on @newsnation. @thehill #spies #china #stanford #college #espionage pic.twitter.com/34YBp5Dj5a
— Blake Burman (@BlakeBurman) May 13, 2025
Should the Trump administration consider Chinese influence at U.S. universities a national security issue?
The allegations center on both literal theft and attempts “to quietly extract the know-how behind American innovation.”
Stanford University responded swiftly to the allegations. In a statement released shortly after the Review report was published, the university acknowledged the gravity of the situation.
“Stanford takes its commitment to national security with the utmost seriousness, and we are acutely aware of the threats posed by the Chinese Communist Party to all research universities,” the statement read. “We are looking into the reports in the Stanford Review article, and have reached out to federal law enforcement to consult on appropriate actions.”
The university did urge for nuance.
“It is also very important to distinguish between threats posed by the Chinese Communist Party, and Chinese and Chinese-American faculty and students who are at Stanford to learn and contribute to the generation of knowledge, and are valued members of our community,” the statement added.
The Stanford Review report cited the case of Chen Song, a Stanford student charged in 2020 with espionage. Song allegedly sent updates on her research to a Chinese government entity, a rare public disclosure of such activities.
The issue of Chinese espionage in the U.S. is not new.
In fact, it’s been one of the more pointed critiques directed at the administration of former President Joe Biden’s administration.
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