Innovation Minister François-Philippe Champagne said he is unhappy with Canadian universities working with a Chinese military institution on sensitive high-tech research and pledged to introduce new guidelines to bolster research security.
“I’m looking to impose additional requirements when it comes to strengthening research security in Canada,” he said.
“We need to be eyes wide open, and we need to ensure that sensitive research and our IP [intellectual property] is adequately protected. And when it comes to national security ... there is no compromise. So there'll be new guidelines being issued very shortly.”
NUDT was initially established in the 1950s as the People’s Liberation Army Military Academy of Engineering, and changed to its current name in 1978 “under direct care” of then-Chinese Communist Party chairman Deng Xiaoping, according to the institution’s webpage. It also said that the NUDT has a “unique status” of being under the “direct leadership of the Central Military Commission,” which is China’s top national defence organization, and that the institution is “heavily invested by the state and the military.”
“This is the same year this Liberal government was elected, and for eight years you haven’t blacklisted the NUDT, like [the United States]. For eight years, this Liberal government hasn’t done anything about national security against the NUDT. Why not?” asked Conservative MP Gerald Soroka.
“You’re looking at the minister who imposed the strictest conditions on research security. And I will continue to do so because as a former foreign affairs minister, I don’t think there’s many people who understand better what we need to do to protect our research and our IP, and I’m very committed,” Champagne said in response.
The Globe’s report, however, noted that the guidelines haven’t deterred Canadian universities from collaborating with China, as none of the top 10 universities that are involved in research projects with NUDT have ceased their collaboration with the Chinese military institute.