According to official data, the Pentagon, NASA and other US government agencies have funded Chinese research in these important fields for 14 years. The US government has issued them over a thousand US patents. This is according to data from the US Patent Office, which was examined by Reuters.
These US-issued patents have one thing in common – at least one author from China. And all the authors received money from the US government to conduct their research.
More than 30% of these patents belong to pharmaceuticals and biotechnology, which Washington and Beijing consider strategic industries. The Pentagon and NASA are also among the sponsors. The patents cover a wide range of technologies, including semiconductors, chemical engineering and medical technology.
Congressman Moulenard, chairman of the House Committee on China, wrote: "It is troubling that American taxpayers are unwittingly funding more than 1,000 patents from Chinese entities, with about 100 of them owned by the Department of Defense.
Other the representative of the committee called China “the main adversary”; USA, adding: "The Ministry of Defense should not finance what China can use for military purposes"
According to the members of the committee, the situation is complicated by the American-Chinese agreement on science and technology concluded several decades ago. It allows US government agencies to help foster innovation in China. The US uses it as a diplomatic tool. The question now is whether to extend the deal.
The House Committee on China is urging the government to abandon it.
Washington has said the Chinese military should not profit from the deal. Lawmakers have expressed doubts about the Chinese Communist Party's strategy of merging the civilian and military sectors. This means that dual-use resources are often used to support the Chinese military.
In recent years, China has overtaken the US to become the world leader in the number of patents. And he has made no secret of his global technological ambitions.
According to Chinese law, inventions originating in China must be examined by the Chinese patent office before they are allowed to apply for a US patent.
The head of the US Patent Office, Cathy Vidal, warned in April that US patents in China have weak protection and are often violated, especially in the pharmaceutical sector.