In response to a May 14 letter from U.S. House of Representatives committee chairmen urging Duke to end Duke Kunshan University — a joint campus with Wuhan University in China — DKU students voiced concerns over what they saw as an inaccurate portrayal of their institution and highlighted their belief in DKU’s critical role in bridging understanding between the U.S. and China.
The letter, which was drafted by Rep. John Moolenaar (R-Mich.), the chair of the Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, and Rep. Tim Walberg (R-Mich.), the chair of the House Education and Workforce Committee and addressed to President Vincent Price, claimed that the partnership “creates a direct pipeline between U.S. innovation and China’s military-industrial complex” and compromises national security.
“We are presented this reasoning that does not ring true to us whatsoever, that our lived experience runs entirely contrary to and which tells us that we are being legislated … by people who don't understand China,” said Krishna Thiagarajan, a DKU rising senior and an international student from the U.S.
‘A wake up call’
DKU students were sent into “a bit of a tailspin” and met with dismay upon reading the letter and grappling with the uncertain future of their university.
Noah Caplan, a DKU rising senior and an international student from the U.S., felt shock and anger at the letter’s demands and questioned U.S. lawmakers' understanding of China.
Pointing to vast reforms in the Chinese Communist Party over the past decades, Caplan stressed that the narrative that U.S. politicians have towards China “could be supplemented with a little bit more modern context and … with the opinions of the Americans living there now.” He added that “severing [the] relationships” between universities in the U.S. and China would be “shooting ourselves in the foot.”
Thiagarajan said the letter was “based on misconceptions” and that Duke ending DKU would be “a disservice to our country and a disservice to all of the people that attend these institutions.”
The letter urging Duke to close DKU comes after four U.S. universities have already terminated their partnerships with academic institutes in China following pressure from Congress.
The letter was sent amid commencement week, making its reception particularly difficult.
Ava Baker, DKU ‘25, learned about the letter during her graduation, describing the moment as “overwhelming.” For her, it was “a wake up call” to recognize her responsibility as an alumna to support her alma mater.
“Even though I've graduated, I've always planned to still want to be very much so a part of the school … because I really feel that they gave me so much,” Baker said.
‘An asset rather than a liability’
According to many DKU students, the letter’s demand that Duke sever its ties with Wuhan University was grounded in fundamental misunderstandings about DKU’s educational mission and the relationship between the Kunshan-based campus and the Chinese educational system.
Thiagarajan emphasized that DKU’s liberal arts focus allows international students from the U.S. to develop expertise and informed knowledge about China, contradicting the letter’s claim that the university “specializes in high-technology fields with direct military applications.” They noted that such expertise serves as “an asset rather than a liability” and the curriculum is crucial to bridging a gap in American understanding of Chinese technological advancements and China's political and economic system.
“We are training the next generation of American China experts … [and] we are building a wealth of knowledge for this country that we have a serious dearth of,” Thiagarajan said.
Yueqi Dou, a DKU rising senior originally from China, agreed, pointing out that students engaging in technological research are “just a tip of the iceberg” and that DKU boasts popular majors in the social sciences, humanities and the arts.
DKU students also questioned the letter’s claims that Wuhan University as a partner institution “is a direct extension of the Chinese military and intelligence apparatus” and dismissed several details in the letter regarding mandatory PRC military drills.
All students from China must complete compulsory military training, including DKU students from mainland China. But students noted that at DKU, its significance is downplayed compared to other universities in China. In particular, Thiagarajan explained that DKU has “[limited] the presence of military personnel” by organizing training on campus as opposed to in military facilities.
Dou shared that her experience with mandatory military training at DKU did not align with the letter’s claim that the training plays a “role in indoctrinating youth and preparing them to fight future wars — including against Americans.” She recalled that weapons were not part of the drills she partook in and described the two-week training as a “bootcamp” and “a crucial component of orientation” intended to instill discipline among first-years.
Get The Chronicle straight to your inbox
Sign up for our weekly newsletter. Cancel at any time.
“It was more about team building and building morality, instead of actually preparing you well for going to the battlefield,” Dou said.
Dou added that the military training at DKU she underwent is only half the duration of that at some other Chinese universities. International and study abroad students are exempt from the training.
Thiagarajan noted that engagement with China as an American institution demands a willingness to work with the Chinese political system — one where the CCP is inevitably involved at all levels of society.
The Chronicle has reviewed a number of the other claims made in the letter to assess their accuracy after conducting outside research.
Students rally around DKU
DKU students have channeled their initial feelings of frustration and fear into conviction and action.
Thiagarajan observed that the letter has led to “a rally ‘round the flag effect” among DKU students, who have “[closed] ranks” around the institution as it faces an “existential threat.”
“People realize they care about being [at DKU],” Thiagarajan said. “People realize they want to be back in China.”
Thiagarajan said they are currently drafting a letter to House committee leaders detailing their experiences at DKU while Caplan said he has written letters to the press. Caplan argued that the U.S. has the option of either engaging with China or “[falling] into a cycle of self isolation.”
Baker also believes that DKU is mutually beneficial to both the U.S. and China, emphasizing that the partnership should foster collaboration rather than competition.
“It's this really awesome bubble, in a way, where everyone is welcome and everyone always has a seat at the table,” Baker said. “I think that's really hard to find nowadays.”
Lucas Lin is a Trinity sophomore and managing editor of The Chronicle's 121st volume.