NYU Shanghai Partnership Highlighted During Trump State Dinner Amid Security Concerns

NYU President Linda Mills attended President Donald Trump’s state dinner honoring China’s leader Xi Jinping on September 25, 2026. The dinner, held in the White House, included 134 guests, alongside U.S. and Chinese officials and tech executives such as Jeff Bezos, Elon Musk, and Sam Altman. NYU spokesperson Wiley Norvell noted that NYU Shanghai is the world’s largest Sino-U.S. degree-granting institution. The institution was founded in 2012 as a partnership with the state-run East China Normal University.

The high-level discussions took place during Xi Jinping’s visit to Washington, D.C., where leaders discussed U.S.-China relations, artificial intelligence, and trade. Since 2024, two House of Representatives committees have reported that NYU Shanghai poses serious national security risks. These reports claim the Chinese government exploits the Sino-U.S. partnership for military gain.