![]() ![]() Collaborators must take deliberate steps to confront problematic stereotypes, obtain a deeper understanding of the geographic and historical realities of research in China, and provide Chinese scientists the opportunity to establish a meaningful voice amid political tensions. Imagining “Chinese science” as one behemoth operating under a uniform political directive may be conceptually convenient, but it is counterproductive when addressing practical questions that plague research collaborations with China. These observations are also informed by our experiences working with researchers in China and other communist or post-communist states on environmental science, clinical science, synthetic biology, genomics research, and biosecurity issues over the past two decades. There are several areas that both non-Chinese and Chinese practitioners should pay close attention to as they work to build more productive international exchanges. Through discussions with Chinese scientists, we identified key issues to improve comprehension of and engagement with China. We organized discussions around specific readings and presentations by experts, and the participants kept in touch outside of the meetings via social media (WeChat) groups and email. Each meeting consisted of 15 to 20 participants from Europe, Asia, and North America with related social science or natural science backgrounds. In practice, due to COVID-19 travel restrictions, the BioGovernance Commons opted for monthly online meetings focusing on ethical and regulatory issues in the biosciences. Our aim was to host a trusted forum where researchers inside and outside China could meet regularly, under the motto “sharing perspectives on shared challenges.” ![]() That is, we take the view that community-building and dialogue-sharing are achieved through continuous practices of “commoning”: acts of support, conflict negotiation, and experimentation that shape a transnational knowledge system through ongoing relations among individuals. ![]() We named our initiative BioGovernance Commons, following political economist Elinor Ostrom’s reasoning for using “commons” as a verb. Furthermore, these conversations can serve as foundations for developing mutually fruitful, cooperative scientific projects when political tensions die down.Īs three social scientists with expertise on life science governance in the United States, United Kingdom, and China, we came together with strong support from Chinese colleagues-in particular Ruipeng Lei, executive director of the Center for Bioethics at Huazhong University of Science and Technology-to do an experiment in engagement in the late summer of 2021. Our aim was to host a trusted forum where researchers inside and outside China could meet regularly, under the motto “sharing perspectives on shared challenges.” Such initiatives can promote mutual understanding and the development of shared scientific values, an outcome that would be beneficial to all parties, as it can raise awareness and understanding of scientific norms-as well as what constitutes misbehavior-in China and in the West. We argue that it is precisely because of these circumstances that a concerted effort must be made to engage in sustained dialogue with Chinese scientists. But growing political tensions and censorship since the COVID-19 pandemic have made it increasingly difficult for Western scientists to engage with their counterparts in China-and have all but brought in-person meetings to a standstill. In the context of the increasing global importance of scientific collaboration, China’s rapid advance-the nation is now the world’s second largest investor in science-provides good reason to engage with Chinese scientists. By 2021, it had become the second largest, after the United States. ![]() In 2006, China’s biomedical sector was the ninth largest in the world. They also have a great website for the book.Ĭoming soon! Creating Common Ground With Chinese Researchers
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