The downturn in U.S.-China relations has strained once robust educational and research ties. China has restricted opportunities for contact between American and Chinese scholars and students, while in the United States, concerns about national security, intellectual property loss, Chinese competitiveness, and “pro-China” views on U.S. campuses have triggered a variety of responses including visa denials, re-evaluation of faculty ties to Chinese institutions, and federal prosecutions. Are the core American values of open research and academic freedom at risk as a result?

On May 21, 2021, the National Commitee hosted a virtual program with Mary Gallagher, Margaret Lewis, and Rory Truex, in conversation with Jacques deLisle, as they discussed these issues and what lies ahead in Sino-American academic relations. This program was held in partnership with the Penn Project on the Future of US-China Relations, sponsored by the University of Pennsylvania’s Center for the Study of Contemporary China.

About the Speakers