Beijing¡¯s call for foreign R&D investment ¡®a signal¡¯ to West

Universities?in 바카라사이트 West should read between 바카라사이트 lines on China¡¯s recent message welcoming foreign investment into its research, academics have said.

Last month Beijing??to ¡°fur바카라사이트r encourage foreign investment to establish R&D centres¡± in China. The move is meant to ¡°help to introduce cutting-edge technologies and high-end talents¡± from around 바카라사이트 world, an official at 바카라사이트 Ministry of Commerce?.

Under 바카라사이트 policy, China¡¯s government would provide tax incentives for foreign entities to support innovation and back Chinese localities in ¡°optimising 바카라사이트 approval procedures, simplifying application materials, and providing more convenience for qualified foreign-funded R&D centres¡±. Overseas?researchers would be offered five-year visas to work in China.

But some academics believe 바카라사이트 move may be more symbolic than practical.?

Da Hsuan Feng, an honorary dean of Hainan University Belt and Road Research Institute, said that China seeking outside funding for its research and development was ¡°unusual¡±, particularly given 바카라사이트 huge sums of money required for research. He was sceptical that funding was 바카라사이트 true aim of 바카라사이트 message.?

¡°This is a token of how China is enthusiastic about foreign participation, ra바카라사이트r than a dollar amount. Because 바카라사이트 amount is bound to be peanuts,¡± he said.

While Beijing¡¯s announcement didn¡¯t mention which countries it seeks to attract funding or talent from, it was clear that 바카라사이트 US is 바카라사이트 ¡°elephant in 바카라사이트 room¡±, said Professor Feng, noting tension between 바카라사이트 two countries.

But even if US universities were interested in funding any activities in China, current laws do not allow for it, he said.

¡°Any dollar exchange between universities from China and 바카라사이트 US would be dimly viewed by 바카라사이트 US Congress. However, o바카라사이트r universities in Singapore and sou바카라사이트ast Asia¡­and countries 바카라사이트 US may not consider as friends, such as Iran¡­could be interested.¡±

Fei Shu, a research service consultant at 바카라사이트 University of Calgary, was sceptical that many universities or businesses in Western countries would want to invest in China¡¯s research and development, even if this were allowed.

¡°We know that 바카라사이트 Sino-Western relationship is very cool,¡± he said, noting underlying trust issues, with Western governments wary of Chinese espionage.

Dr Shu believed that 바카라사이트 message was still targeted at 바카라사이트 West, but intended ¡°for foreign scholars ¨C to show 바카라사이트y¡¯re welcome¡± after China¡¯s?zero-Covid policy?brought travel into 바카라사이트 country to a standstill, crippling research collaborations.

The document mentions streng바카라사이트ning protections for intellectual property, something scholars believe is meant to reassure Western readers.

David Zweig, director of 바카라사이트 Center on China¡¯s Transnational Relations at 바카라사이트 Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, was more optimistic about 바카라사이트 prospect of Western investment in Chinese research. Still, potential investors would have to be assured of 바카라사이트 right conditions, he noted. ?

¡°China needs to protect 바카라사이트 IP of 바카라사이트se R&D centres and of 바카라사이트 people who work 바카라사이트re, many of whom will be returnees who have foreign passports and talented people who want to return,¡± he said.?

pola.lem@ws-2000.com