The United States and China refuse to expand scientific cooperation

In summary: The scientific cooperation agreement between China and the United States was met with caution from both countries. Protectionist policies seem to take precedence over scientific cooperation.

In the news: The United States and China are likely to once again postpone the renewal of the decades-old scientific and technological cooperation agreement.

• This agreement has been in effect since 1979 and is usually renewed every five years. This was supposed to happen again on August 27, but it was decided to extend the current agreement for six months, rather than agreeing on a new long-term agreement. This will happen again now.
• Because despite six months of negotiations, both parties need more time. These doubts are mainly due to China's changing position. The country is now almost on par with the United States when it comes to technological and scientific knowledge.
  • The United States therefore imposes more stringent conditions, some of which are highly controversial. A law imposing restrictions on Chinese scientists has been successfully challenged and overturned on the grounds of racial bias.
  • At the same time, the country is also deeply concerned about Chinese espionage. It wants guarantees that American scientists' laptops, phones and laptops will not be touched while they are in China.
  • China is considering the exchange of personnel. There is a fear that Chinese researchers will remain in the United States because the Chinese economy is performing poorly, according to what innovation researcher Marina Zhang says in the scientific journal. nature.
• Denis Simon, a specialist in trade relations between the two countries, says he is happy that the two superpowers continue to talk to each other. nature. After all, there have been calls within American politics to scrap the program entirely.

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He follows: Is stricter regulation a good compromise?

• The United States may want to impose restrictions so that the agreement covers areas such as climate change, global health, and clean energy only. Sensitive topics such as materials development and computer technology are avoided.
• However, scientists want to put progress first. For example, physicist Steven Kivelson disagrees with a ban on sharing knowledge about quantum materials: “We are cutting off our own arms.”
• They agree that both countries need each other. Politically, it is much more sensitive. The future will show who will win.