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China aims to become self-reliant in key technology. Photo: Shutterstock

Xi Jinping promises China will be more open to international scientific cooperation despite drive for hi-tech self-reliance

  • President tells World Laureates Forum that the country is willing to work with scientists around the world in areas such as climate change and vaccine research
  • Major policy meeting said self-sufficiency would be a ‘strategic pillar’ of development plan, but Beijing says this does not mean it is closing its doors

Chinese President Xi Jinping said on Friday that the country will pursue a more open and inclusive strategy towards international scientific cooperation, a day after the Communist Party approved plans to put technological innovation at the core of the country’s development strategy.

Beijing’s economic planners have identified technological competition as an important feature of future great power contests and a communique issued after a major policy meeting ended on Thursday said China would aim to make self-sufficiency in this area a “strategic pillar” of its national development plan.

Speaking to an online forum attended by hundreds of scientists around the world, including dozens of Nobel Prize laureates, on Friday, Xi said that China would make open collaboration a major part of its innovation drive.

“China is ready to work with top scientists around the world and international science and technology organisations to implement a more open, inclusive, and mutually beneficial international scientific strategy,” Xi told the World Laureates Forum in Shanghai, according to state media reports.

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From translation, monitoring vitals signs to purifying air, face masks go hi-tech

From translation, monitoring vitals signs to purifying air, face masks go hi-tech

He called for further collaboration in areas such as research on Covid-19 vaccines, climate change and health.

The increasing rivalry between China and the US has prompted Washington to curb access to advanced technology for Chinese firms and increase scrutiny of academic exchanges and collaboration between universities.

But at a Communist Party press briefing on Friday, science minister Wang Zhigang insisted that “driving self-sufficiency in technology did not mean China would shut its doors to the world”.

“China will accelerate and expand opening-up and cooperation in science and technology. We will engage dialogue and exchange with all countries on science and technology policy, development plans, ethics in scientific research and other science, technology and innovation issues,” Wang said.

Wang also said China would set up a global scientific research fund to support international efforts to tackle global issues such as climate change, energy and public health.

He added the government would strive to make China a global destination for innovators and entrepreneurs by strengthening intellectual property rights protections and providing a level playing field to lure overseas talent.

Xi Jinping made the pledge during a speech to an online forum attended by international scientists. Photo: AP

The National Development and Reform Commission, China’s top economic planning agency, has identified international collaboration as part of Beijing’s plan to build a competitive “ecology for innovations” in its official compendium for drafting the five-year plan for 2021-25.

“The great power contest centred on technological innovation has prompted the restructuring of the international innovation landscape and governance system,” the NDRC said.

“[We have to] grasp this opportunity of a global innovation resources reshuffle, comprehensively expand the opening-up of the technological innovation sector and deeply participate in global governance on innovations.”

Tang Dajie, secretary general of Beijing-based think tank the China Enterprise Institute, said it was impossible to pursue technological innovation without some sort of open international cooperation.

Beijing’s rivalry with US is main external threat to its development, NDRC says

“China should have a more open and comprehensive environment to promote innovation,” Tang said.

But Shi Yinhong, an international relations professor with Renmin University, said China’s efforts would face problems given the current attitudes towards Beijing in the West.

“What President Xi said was he hoped that China could have more international cooperation on technology, but the situation is much worse,” he said. “Under this background, China will have to place more emphasis on self-reliance in technology.”

This article appeared in the South China Morning Post print edition as: Xi promises more open policy with world’s top scientists
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