Page 46 - 2023 White Paper on the Business Environment in China
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3 White Paper on the Business Environment in China
China affairs at Duke University, also expressed In any case, there are specific and practical policy
his concern about the future of US-China relations. prescriptions regarding the US-China relationship
"Frankly, I've never been so worried about the that could help rebuild trust and reduce tensions.
state of the bilateral relationship, and I don't Both sides should limit their rhetorical assaults on
believe there's even a crack of daylight coming the other so that real productive conversations
from inside the US political system, midterm and can begin. The two countries really need to
beyond, to remedy the situation in the short to be talking to each other a variety of subjects.
medium term, whoever is in control of the House The US and China should agree to launch an
or Senate," Simon said. He said that education, intense bilateral dialogue led by their national
science and technology had been a bedrock in security advisors to discuss their respective vital
the bilateral relationship, even in difficult times. national interests and red lines for the other’s
"I'm afraid to say that the existing stakeholders behavior while at the same time restoring their
in these areas are wondering if there is any path respective long-time interpretations of their
to meaningful cooperation in the future," he One China policies, which have stood the test of
said. Simon mentioned some bright spots in the time. Both sides should agree to work together
relationship, such as Foreign Minister Wang's on global infectious diseases and global public
reference to "certainties" and a recent agreement health. Ultimately, to reach mutual agreement on
reached by the US and China about auditing any of these measures would require negotiation,
requirements for Chinese companies listed on compromise, and political will from both Xi Jinping
US stock exchanges. He also noted President and Joe Biden (Blackwill).
Joe Biden's indication that he might be willing
to relax tariffs on Chinese products initiated Academic Collaborations
during the Trump administration. "The US must
move beyond largely defining our domestic Collaborations between academic institutions
and foreign policy stances in terms of only in the US and China more than likely will
containing or constraining China's rise," Simon continue to come under increasing scrutiny by
said. "And Congress clearly needs to do a better US lawmakers. In 2018, the National Institute of
job of listening to those various stakeholder Health (NIH) began investigating hundreds of
communities and constituencies I mentioned scientists, largely on the basis of their failure to
before. Because there are people who still remain disclose receipt of foreign resources on federal
interested in engagement with China" (Xu). research grants. While these investigations were
not specific to China, 90% of the investigations as
Ultimately, it must be said that China and the of July 2021 involved receipt of resources from
United States are in a competitive downward or activities in China. Researchers collected the
spiral that if not reversed could drastically damage publication records of 102,000 medical and life
the two countries and damage the rest of the scientists based in the US. They then compared
world. For most of 2022, neither the United States the publication records of US-based scientists
nor China made such specific policy proposals to who have a history of collaborations in China
reduce tensions. Rather, daily mutual denunciation to those with a history of foreign collaborations
has been the order of the day. To depart this road outside of China. Before the investigations US-
to global catastrophe will require compromise based scientists who collaborated internationally
and political will from both sides. Neither of those tended to be more productive than those who
have been present in recent years. The Chinese collaborated domestically, and those who
have an aphorism that applies here, “If you want collaborated with Chinese scientists were the
to catch a fish, don’t climb a tree.” In recent most productive of all. However, the database
years, Washington and Beijing have climbed ever indicated that the NIH investigations have
higher in the tree. So, why is there no sign of negatively affected both the quantity and quality
political will and compromise from either Beijing of publications by 1.9% and citations of their
or Washington? Perhaps both countries believe publications fell by 7.1% compared to scientists
the internal problems of the other provide an with foreign collaborators outside of China.
opportunity to press their cases and to take risks.
46
China affairs at Duke University, also expressed In any case, there are specific and practical policy
his concern about the future of US-China relations. prescriptions regarding the US-China relationship
"Frankly, I've never been so worried about the that could help rebuild trust and reduce tensions.
state of the bilateral relationship, and I don't Both sides should limit their rhetorical assaults on
believe there's even a crack of daylight coming the other so that real productive conversations
from inside the US political system, midterm and can begin. The two countries really need to
beyond, to remedy the situation in the short to be talking to each other a variety of subjects.
medium term, whoever is in control of the House The US and China should agree to launch an
or Senate," Simon said. He said that education, intense bilateral dialogue led by their national
science and technology had been a bedrock in security advisors to discuss their respective vital
the bilateral relationship, even in difficult times. national interests and red lines for the other’s
"I'm afraid to say that the existing stakeholders behavior while at the same time restoring their
in these areas are wondering if there is any path respective long-time interpretations of their
to meaningful cooperation in the future," he One China policies, which have stood the test of
said. Simon mentioned some bright spots in the time. Both sides should agree to work together
relationship, such as Foreign Minister Wang's on global infectious diseases and global public
reference to "certainties" and a recent agreement health. Ultimately, to reach mutual agreement on
reached by the US and China about auditing any of these measures would require negotiation,
requirements for Chinese companies listed on compromise, and political will from both Xi Jinping
US stock exchanges. He also noted President and Joe Biden (Blackwill).
Joe Biden's indication that he might be willing
to relax tariffs on Chinese products initiated Academic Collaborations
during the Trump administration. "The US must
move beyond largely defining our domestic Collaborations between academic institutions
and foreign policy stances in terms of only in the US and China more than likely will
containing or constraining China's rise," Simon continue to come under increasing scrutiny by
said. "And Congress clearly needs to do a better US lawmakers. In 2018, the National Institute of
job of listening to those various stakeholder Health (NIH) began investigating hundreds of
communities and constituencies I mentioned scientists, largely on the basis of their failure to
before. Because there are people who still remain disclose receipt of foreign resources on federal
interested in engagement with China" (Xu). research grants. While these investigations were
not specific to China, 90% of the investigations as
Ultimately, it must be said that China and the of July 2021 involved receipt of resources from
United States are in a competitive downward or activities in China. Researchers collected the
spiral that if not reversed could drastically damage publication records of 102,000 medical and life
the two countries and damage the rest of the scientists based in the US. They then compared
world. For most of 2022, neither the United States the publication records of US-based scientists
nor China made such specific policy proposals to who have a history of collaborations in China
reduce tensions. Rather, daily mutual denunciation to those with a history of foreign collaborations
has been the order of the day. To depart this road outside of China. Before the investigations US-
to global catastrophe will require compromise based scientists who collaborated internationally
and political will from both sides. Neither of those tended to be more productive than those who
have been present in recent years. The Chinese collaborated domestically, and those who
have an aphorism that applies here, “If you want collaborated with Chinese scientists were the
to catch a fish, don’t climb a tree.” In recent most productive of all. However, the database
years, Washington and Beijing have climbed ever indicated that the NIH investigations have
higher in the tree. So, why is there no sign of negatively affected both the quantity and quality
political will and compromise from either Beijing of publications by 1.9% and citations of their
or Washington? Perhaps both countries believe publications fell by 7.1% compared to scientists
the internal problems of the other provide an with foreign collaborators outside of China.
opportunity to press their cases and to take risks.
46
