US Senate Committee criticizes Romania for military academy’s partnership with China

A report by the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Chinese aggression criticizes the fact that some military academies in NATO countries maintain partnerships and connections with Chinese educational institutions.

Among the highlighted cases is the „Nicolae Bălcescu” Land Forces Academy in Sibiu, which the American Senate committee states has an official cooperation agreement with the PLA University of Engineering in Nanjing.

The US Senate Foreign Relations Committee’s report also points out that other countries have similar collaborations: the PLA University of Engineering has agreements with the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in the United Kingdom and the United States Military Academy (West Point). Sandhurst has also trained Chinese military recruits.

The report further indicates that apart from these partnerships, China has „aggressively” attempted to recruit former military pilots from the US and NATO to gain information on Western training and tactics.

In a case described as „disturbing,” the report reveals that a Chinese police station in Dobroești, Romania, was operating based on an official memorandum with the city’s police department.

„Chinese police officers were officially invited to Serbia, Croatia, and Hungary to conduct joint patrols with local law enforcement under the pretext of supporting the local Chinese-speaking population and tourists. Italy also hosted Chinese police officers but has since ended the program,” the report states.