The deep interactions between Chinese and American researchers and their intertwined scientific networks highlight the importance of long-term cooperation. Any major disruptions could have a profound impact on the global research ecosystem.
Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey and international students rally at the statehouse against ICE visa rules that would potentially remove students from the country or prevent others from reentering, weeks before fall semester begins, during the coronavirus pandemic on July 13, 2020, in Boston. (Pat Greenhouse/The Boston Globe)
For many years, China-U.S. academic exchanges and cooperation have not only brought significant scientific discoveries but facilitated the sharing of knowledge and fostered generations of scholars with global perspectives, thus jointly driving global scientific progress.
The two countries have made remarkable strides in various academic fields such as public health, where their collaborative efforts have contributed to improvement in influenza monitoring and disease prevention. The deep interactions between Chinese and American researchers and their intertwined scientific networks highlight the importance of long-term cooperation. Any major disruptions could have a profound impact on the global research ecosystem.
However, the current geopolitical environment has increasingly hindered academic exchanges and cooperation between the two sides. The rising tensions, along with trade disputes and security concerns, have turned an open field of academic exchanges into one fraught with limitations. Against the backdrop of strategic competition with China, the United States has increasingly viewed academic and educational cooperation as a potential national security risk and has intensified its scrutiny of joint research and educational projects.
Because of concerns over the misuse of research findings and sensitive technology transfers, the U.S. government has adopted a more cautious approach, continuously adjusting policies to safeguard its national interests. The U.S. Department of Justice, for example, launched the “China Initiative,” which politicized academic research by discriminating against Chinese-American scientists. This had a chilling effect on academic cooperation.
U.S. policies have a spillover effect on the academic community. Some American universities, under pressure from security concerns and policy shifts, increased scrutiny of their cooperation with China and even decoupled from their Chinese counterparts. In January this year, the University of Michigan ended its long-standing partnership with Shanghai Jiao Tong University, citing national security concerns. The trend reflects a growing caution among U.S. universities regarding international cooperation.
By contrast, the Chinese government and its institutions have long championed international academic collaboration, emphasizing the mutual benefits and actively promoting people-to-people exchanges. During his visit to the United States in November 2023, Chinese President Xi Jinping announced that China would invite 50,000 American youths to China for exchange and study programs over the next five years.
There is also a growing risk of a further tightening of U.S. policies on Chinese students. In his first term, U.S. President Donald Trump implemented a series of restrictions on Chinese student visas. There is a potential for these policies to become even more restrictive during his second term, especially given rising domestic conservatism and hard-line views toward China. Recently, Republican Congressman Riley Moore introduced a bill to halt the issuance of student visas to Chinese nationals.
Since the pandemic, the number of American students in China has plummeted and has yet to return to pre-pandemic levels — though it is slowly recovering. If harsh policies are implemented, China-U.S. people-to-people exchanges will face a new setback.
Stringent visa policies and heightened academic scrutiny have restricted the mobility of scholars and hindering the exchange of talent and innovative ideas. A study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences found that investigations initiated by the National Institutes of Health had led to a decline in productivity and publication impact for U.S. scientists with Chinese collaborators. These U.S. researchers faced the dilemma of balancing open academic research with national security concerns, often having to choose between working with Chinese scientists and securing U.S. research funding.
Crippled academic exchanges also contribute to instability in China-U.S. relations. When political and economic ties falter, people-to-people exchanges often serve as a stabilizing force and help ease tensions —particularly given the fact that academic and think tank communities can offer policy recommendations to their governments. However, policies from the past two American administrations indicate a lack of appreciation for the positive impact of academic exchanges.
As some exchange and cooperation programs face setbacks, channels for mutual understanding between academic communities in the two countries will narrow, leading to a greater risk of misunderstanding and misjudgment, which is detrimental to the healthy and stable development of China-U.S. relations.
Despite these challenges, space remains for China-U.S. academic cooperation. Although the renewed China-U.S. Science and Technology Agreement is more limited in scope — emphasizing transparency, reciprocity, and protection of researchers — it provides a governmental framework for collaboration in specific fields. Ensuring transparency and fairness in cooperation, such as open data sharing and clear ownership of intellectual property rights, is crucial for building trust and maintaining partnerships.
The two countries could prioritize cooperation in less sensitive areas, such as polar science, environmental science, public health and agriculture. These areas not only have broad implications but align with the shared interests of both sides. Maintaining academic exchanges in a targeted and controlled manner would help sustain people-to-people links amid geopolitical tensions, preventing the further deterioration of bilateral relations. Both governments and academic institutions need to make an effort by engaging in dialogue and establishing clear guidelines for cooperation to find a sustainable balance between national security and academic openness and to promote cooperation in areas of global interest.
In the long run, China-U.S. academic cooperation has irreplaceable value in addressing global challenges. Reduced academic exchanges only slow global scientific innovation and undermine the capacity to address cross-border issues like climate change, pandemic prevention and control and sustainable development. In the context of increasingly pressing global challenges, the U.S. needs to go beyond political differences and work with China to confront shared global issues for their mutual benefit.
It is equally important to establish effective multilevel communication mechanisms to address differences as a way to foster a more stable and productive cooperation environment. Scientists and academic institutions have a role to play in informing policymakers and the public of the value of international cooperation and its importance in tackling global challenges and expanding knowledge.
Finally, greater emphasis is needed on student exchanges and academic programs to build trust and reduce misunderstandings. Chinese and American students, as a bridge between the two countries, play a crucial role in advancing cross-cultural understanding, exchanging diverse ideas and sharing knowledge. China-U.S. academic cooperation will need the active involvement of younger generations in the future.
