BEIJING: China’s pursuit of self-reliance and strength in science and technology does not mean it will decouple from the world, experts said, adding that the goal is to turn the country into a more capable and innovative contributor when tackling global challenges with the international community.
The Chinese scientific community would continue to expand international cooperation, launch more research projects and pursue greater innovation that can serve the world, and also proactively participate in the global governance of science and technology-related affairs, they added.
The report to the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China stated that China would expand science and technology exchanges and cooperation with other countries, cultivate an internationalized environment for research, and create an open and globally competitive innovation ecosystem. However, some Western experts speculated that China’s emphasis on becoming more self-reliant in science and technology indicates the country is trying to decouple from the world to become more resilient to deal with external uncertainties and influences.
Liang Yingda, director of the Ministry of Science and Technology’s Department of Strategy and Planning, said China has always engaged with the international scientific community. China has established scientific and technological cooperation with over 160 countries and regions, including 114 government-level collaboration agreements. In 2021, China held over 40 ministerial-level exchanges on topics such as public health, climate change, clean energy, and tackling the COVID-19 pandemic. It also signed 21 new government-level cooperation agreements.
–The Daily Mail-CGTN news exchange item
