China Urges US to End Research Cooperation Curbs Amidst Growing Concerns

The United States Department of Defense has recently blacklisted some Chinese research institutions, a move that China argues obstructs scientific and technological exchanges and undermines global innovation, contrary to the US claim of safeguarding national security. China's Ministry of Commerce expressed "strong dissatisfaction and firm opposition," stating that "Washington has continuously overstretched the concept of national security, erected discriminatory barriers and ‘politicized, weaponized and instrumentalized’ scientific research cooperation." The comments followed the Pentagon's addition of several Chinese research institutions, including Fudan University and Shanghai Jiao Tong University, to its "list of foreign institutions engaging in problematic activities" last Thursday. The ministry spokesperson added that this move hinders scientific research exchanges and collaboration between China and the US, running counter to the global trend toward cooperation in scientific and technological innovation. The updated list comprises 130 academic and research institutions, 88 of which are Chinese. The Pentagon framed the move as an effort to curb what it described as unauthorized technology transfers to "foreign countries of concern." Zhou Mi, a senior researcher at the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation, commented that the expansion of the blacklist to include more Chinese universities beyond those traditionally associated with the country's defense sector indicates Washington is broadening its "de-risking" campaign against China. He added that it will "deal a blow to global innovation and make it increasingly difficult for affected institutions to sustain research partnerships with their US counterparts." Beijing is urging Washington to cease its groundless smears against Chinese research institutions, promptly correct its wrong practices, and provide the institutions with fair, just, and nondiscriminatory treatment. The spokesperson also stated that China will take necessary measures to safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese research institutions and help ensure normal scientific and technological exchanges and cooperation. Echoing the ministry's call for normal scientific and technological exchanges, Cai Qingfeng, a professor at the School of Economics at Xiamen University, said that China and the US, as two major countries at different stages of development, should reject zero-sum thinking. He emphasized that "the way forward lies in broader and mutually beneficial cooperation, which is essential to building a sound, stable, and sustainable global economic order, as well as advancing scientific and technological cooperation."