Cotton to Rubio and Bessent: Investigate Harvard’s Ties to the Chinese Communist Party

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEContact:Caroline TablerorPatrick McCann(202) 224-2353May 15, 2025
Cotton to Rubio and Bessent: Investigate Harvard’s Ties to the Chinese Communist Party
Washington, D.C.— Senator Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) today sent a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent to encourage an investigation of potential sanctions violations at Harvard University. Recent reports suggest Harvard has engaged in prohibited behavior with Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps (XPCC), which explicitly violates the Trump Administration’s human rights sanctions under the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act.
In part, Senator Cotton wrote:
“I write urging the Departments of State and Treasury to investigate reports of potential sanctions violations at Harvard University.  A recent report suggests that Harvard is engaging in prohibited behavior with Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps (XPCC), a Chinese state-owned organization that implements China’s genocidal and forced labor polices in the Uyghur region.”
Full text of the letter can be foundhereand below.
The Honorable Marco RubioSecretaryU.S. Department of State2201 C St. NWWashington, D.C. 20451The Honorable Scott BessentSecretaryDepartment of the Treasury1500 Pennsylvania Avenue NWWashington, D.C. 20220
Dear Secretary Rubio and Secretary Bessent:I write urging the Departments of State and Treasury to investigate reports of potential sanctions violations at Harvard University.  A recent report suggests that Harvard is engaging in prohibited behavior with Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps (XPCC), a Chinese state-owned organization that implements China’s genocidal and forced labor polices in the Uyghur region.According to a recent business intelligence firm report, Harvard renamed its Public Health School the “Harvard T. Chan School for Public Health” after receiving a $350 million donation from the Chan family and its Morningside Foundation in 2014, which has significant ties to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Harvard engages in activities that glorify China’s Cultural Revolution and is linked to the China’s Thousand Talents Program. Most troublingly is the report that Harvard trained XPCC personnel and other senior Chinese officials on healthcare financing.In 2020, the Trump Administration imposed human rights sanctions on XPCC under the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act for XPCC’s involvement in severe human rights abuses. The Act prohibits any contribution of funds, goods, and services, to XPCC. Harvard University’s actions appear to violate these sanctions.As the Trump Administration rightfully acknowledges, American universities’ unique ability to foster intellectual creativity and scholarly rigor are driving factors in our nation’s success.  However, these values are contrary to the ideological capture sought by the CCP.  I respectfully ask that your departments investigate these reports of potential sanctions violations by the Harvard T. Chan School of Public Health in order to thwart the CCP’s on Harvard’s campus.We appreciate your attention to this matter and the Trump Administration’s commitment to combat CCP influence at our institutions of higher education.Sincerely,
Tom CottonUnited States Senator
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