Southeast University (SEU) is designated high risk for its relatively high level of defence research.
SEU is a leading Chinese university that engages in high levels of defence research. In 2015, the university undertook RMB180m (AUD37m) of defence research projects, placing it among the Ministry of Education universities most involved in defence research. That figure has almost certainly grown since 2016, when SEU came under a ‘joint construction’ agreement between the Ministry of Education and defence industry agency SASTIND.http://archive.fo/dlC2T The university has secret security credentials, enabling it to participate in secret defence projects.https://web.archive.org/web/20170928053432/http://www.tju.edu.cn/bmb/experience/201303/P020130304631409850726.doc
The university has also been linked to cyberespionage.http://archive.fo/ZOGh3 Researchers at its School of Cyber Science and Engineering (网络空间安全学院) have been funded by the MSS, China’s civilian intelligence agency.http://archive.fo/hxVtQ The School of Cyber Science and Engineering has close ties to TopSec, a Chinese information security company that trains, recruits and works with PLA cyber security officers.http://archive.fo/ZOGh3; https://www.theguardian.com/world/us-embassy-cables-documents/214462?_ga=2.97776351.1319451064.1567722102-1036413872.1567722102
SEU states that its defence research relies on its excellence in electronics.http://archive.fo/dlC2T#selection-321.36-321.40 It has at least two laboratories that specialise in defence research on navigation technology and underwater acoustics. Both laboratories may be involved in developing technology for underwater warfare.http://archive.fo/bz6tf Representatives from the PLA Navy’s Submarine Academy visited SEU in 2017.http://archive.fo/kcl93
SEU has also built relationships with state-owned defence conglomerates. In 2017, the university signed a strategic cooperation agreement with missile-manufacturer China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation.http://archive.fo/lYW65 In 2018 and 2019, it signed similar agreements with subsidiaries of China Electronics Technology Group Corporation, China’s leading manufacturer of military electronics.https://web.archive.org/web/20191112022908/https://news.seu.edu.cn/2019/0904/c5486a284816/page.htm ; https://web.archive.org/web/20190506013011/https://www.seu.edu.cn/2018/1010/c17406a242399/page.htm
Major defence laboratories
- MOE Key Laboratory of Micro-Inertial Instrument and Advanced Navigation Technology (微惯性仪表与先进导航技术教育部重点实验室（B类）)http://archive.fo/ufilc ; http://archive.fo/O6wy4 ; http://archive.fo/AtuWg
- Key Laboratory of Underwater Acoustic Signal Processing of Ministry of Education (水声信号处理教育部重点实验室（B类）)http://archive.fo/AtuWg
Designated defence research areas
The total number of designated defence areas at SEU is unknown. However, the following three areas were identified:
- Mechatronic engineeringhttp://archive.fo/kU7OB
- Navigation, guidance and control
- Information sensing and diversion technology信息传感及导流技术
Economic espionage and misconduct
Cybersecurity company ThreatConnect has linked SEU to a 2015 hack on US healthcare insurance agency Anthem.http://archive.fo/ZOGh3 Researchers at its School of Cyber Science and Engineering (网络空间安全学院) have been funded by the MSS, China’s civilian intelligence agency.http://archive.fo/hxVtQ The School of Cyber Science and Engineering has close ties to TopSec, a Chinese information security company that trains, recruits and works with PLA cyber security officers.http://archive.fo/ZOGh3; https://www.theguardian.com/world/us-embassy-cables-documents/214462?_ga=2.97776351.1319451064.1567722102-1036413872.1567722102
The university was identified in a report prepared for the US-China Economic and Security Review Commission as a key training site for Chinese hackers.https://web.archive.org/web/20190906063010/https://nsarchive2.gwu.edu//NSAEBB/NSAEBB424/docs/Cyber-066.pdf?_ga=2.35247585.1319451064.1567722102-1036413872.1567722102
Last updated 12 November 2019. Unclear about any wording? Visit the terminology page.