The University of California, Berkeley, is under federal investigation following revelations of millions in donations from entities with ties to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and restricted technology sectors. Donor records obtained by the Washington Free Beacon show that Berkeley accepted funds from institutions including a blacklisted Chinese research university, CCP-linked individuals, and state-owned corporations.
One donor, the University of Science and Technology of China, contributed $60,000 in 2023 before being sanctioned by the U.S. for efforts to acquire sensitive quantum technology. Another, Vincent Cheung Sai Sing, a member of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, gave $336,000 for research. Syngenta, a state-owned chemical company, donated $21,000, while its origin was misreported as Switzerland.
The Trump administration recently launched a probe into Berkeley’s foreign funding practices and ordered universities to make more transparent disclosures under Section 117 of the Higher Education Act. “President Donald Trump signed an executive order last month requiring more thorough disclosures,” the Free Beacon reported.
Other contributors included the GS Charity Foundation of the Glorious Sun Group ($160,000), ByteDance investor Duane Kuang ($75,000), and Sky9 Capital Fund V, with documented ties to TikTok and other CCP-aligned firms. Li Ka-shing, whose company holds interests in the Panama Canal, donated $5.7 million, though Berkeley reported it as a Canadian gift.
The university has also been accused of obscuring the origin of these donations, reporting China-linked contributions as originating from other countries.
A Berkeley spokesperson responded, “The university is reviewing the Department of Education inquiry and will cooperate with its federal partners as has long been our practice. The university prioritizes direct communications with legislative committees and governmental agencies when responding to their questions and inquiries.”
This report adds to a growing body of evidence indicating that leading U.S. universities have systematically concealed the true sources of substantial foreign donations. With much of the funding coming from China and Qatar. The latter of which actively funds and supports the Hamas terror organization in Gaza and houses its leaders.
