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U.S.-China Cooperation Program in Science Policy, Research, and Education

The U.S.-China Cooperation Program in Science Policy, Research, and Education is a decade-long initiative, which started in 1999.  It is built on the experience gained from more than thirty years of cooperation between the U.S. and the People’s Republic of China in science and engineering.  The productive, long-standing relationship between the National Science Foundation (NSF) in the United States (and the NSF Tokyo Regional Office in Japan) and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) is a cornerstone of this cooperation.

The Program utilizes a variety of science and policy events as a basis for expanded bilateral and multilateral science policy cooperation.  These serve as a foundation for strengthened partnerships in specific areas of science and engineering.  Its activities include a series of science policy seminars, forums, and related events conducted since 1999.  They explore issues with significant implications for the vitality of science and engineering in the emerging, global, borderless, knowledge-based economy.

 

 

 

 

Policy Briefs Project

The GMU China Program has begun producing Policy Briefs that address U.S.-China S&T policy issues of specific concern to decision makers, other experts, and the interested public. The authors are experts in the issues addressed, and content is based on the information and data found on this website, advice from other experts and scholars, and other reliable sources. The briefs are tiered, web-based, and contain many web-links. If you are interested in participating in the production and development of these briefs, or have comments on specific briefs, please send us an e-mail.

For more information on the Policy Briefs project and those planned for the future, go to the Policy Briefs Project Overview.

See also Current Policy Briefs.

  
 

Forthcoming Events

None listed at this time.

Recent Events

China-India-US Workshop on Science, Technology and Innovation Policy
July 7 – 9, 2008

A China-India-US Workshop on Science, Technology and Innovation Policy (see full schedule) was held on the campus of the Indian Institute of Science in Bangalore, India, from July 7 – 9, 2008. The event was supported by the Indo-US Science and Technology Forum, with additional support from the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and the National Institute of Advanced Studies, Banaglore. The core of the workshop consisted of three plenary sessions with invited presentations by a speaker from each of the three countries, followed by remarks by commentators and open discussion. Invited presentations illuminated the workings of the research and innovation systems in the three countries for the benefit of those from the other two countries. They also pointed to areas where further bi- or tri-lateral research cooperation would be desirable and feasible. In order to provide a measure of specificity, each of the three plenary sessions focused on a different sector in which the three countries have significant interest: power generation from coal, pharmaceuticals, and information technology. Four Young Scholars from the United States ranging from graduate students through post-docs who have held their doctoral degrees for less than two years were selected to participate in the workshop and make visits to sites of professional interest in India following the event. The respective Chinese, Indian and US co-chairs who constitute the organizing committee for the workshop are Mu Rongping, Director-General of the Institute of Policy and Management of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dilip Ajuha, ISRO Professor of Science and Technology Policy at the National Institute of Advanced Studies, and Richard P. Suttmeier of the Political Science Department of the University of Oregon.

 

Previous Events & Publications

China-U.S. Forum on Science and Technology Policy
Oct. 15-17, 2006
Beijing, China

A China-U.S. Science and Technology Policy Forum was held in Beijing, People's Republic of China, on October 15-17, 2006.  The Forum was held in conjunction with the 12th China-U.S. Joint Commission Meeting, October 18-19, 2006.

Forum participants included policy-level government officials, scientists, engineers, and policy scholars from both the United States and China with extensive experience in U.S.-China science and technology relations.  The principal objective of the Forum was to explore issues important to the future China-U.S. science and technology relationship. This includes exploring issues (both scientific and policy issues) facing the U.S. and China that are likely to have significant implications for science and technology in the 21st century or are greatly impacted by advances in science and engineering. These issues, taken together, serve to define the boundary conditions for the U.S.-China science and technology relationship as we traverse the globalized world of the 21st century.

See the full proceedings and an agenda for the Forum. You can view each section of the proceedings and access Power Point presentations by clicking on highlighted titles of presentations in the agenda.

R&D Policies Related to Emerging and Re-emerging Infectious Diseases
 Dec. 14-16, 2005
Boston, Massachusetts

Infectious

Blanpied, William (ed.), 2006, Proceedings of the Trilateral Seminar on R&D Policies Related to Emerging and Re-emerging Infectious Diseases, Arlington: George Mason University National Center for Technology and Law.

 

 

 

Participants in this Trilateral Seminar included key scientists and policy makers from China, Korea, and the United States. They considered better ways to coordinate R&D and integrate R&D into policies affecting efforts to combat infectious diseases. Opportunities for international collaboration in the formulaion and implementation of effective policies were emphasized. Themes and issues under consideration included:

(See more...)

Sino-U.S. Forum on Basic Science for the Next Fifteen Years
February 16-17, 2004
Beijing, China

A Bilateral Forum on Basic Science for the Next Fifteen Years was held on February 16-17, 2004, in Beijing.  This forum was the first in a series aimed at better understanding of Chinese and U.S. science and technology policies: past, present and future.  The National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) and the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) supported this seminar. (See more...)

Trilateral Seminar on Science, Society, and the Internet
December 14-16, 2003
Honolulu, Hawaii

Red Title Page

Blanpied, William (ed.), 2004, Proceedings of the Trilateral Seminar on Science, Society and the Internet, Arlington: George Mason University National Center for Technology and Law.

 

 

 

A Trilateral Seminar on Science, Society and the Internet was held December 14-16, 2003, at the East-West Center at the campus of the University of Hawaii in Honolulu.  There was participation by a Japanese delegation along with delegations from the U.S. and China.  The Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) joined the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) and the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) in supporting this seminar. (See more...)

Engineering Education for a Global Economy
October 20-24, 2002
Shanghai and Beijing, China

2002 Beijing Engineering Education Proceedings

Wang, Sunyu and J. Thomas Ratchford (eds.), 2004, Proceedings of China-U.S. Bilateral Seminar on Engineering Education for a Global Economy, Beijing: Tsinghua University Press.

 

 

The fifth event in the decade-long series was the China-U.S. Seminar on Engineering Education for a Global Economy, held October 20-24, 2002, in Shanghai and Beijing. Its theme addressed changing demands for engineering education in the global knowledge-based economy. Underlying the selection of this theme was the assumption that a deeper understanding of and appreciation for differing perspectives and approaches to associated issues will improve planning and implementation--nationally, bilaterally, and regionally--for the effective and balanced development of a global workforce. (See more...)

Workshop on China-U.S. Science and Technology Policy Challenges for the Decade
June 24-25, 2002
Beijing, China

Leading U.S. and Chinese science and technology policy experts met in Beijing, China, at the new headquarters of the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) to review accomplishments of the U.S.-China Cooperation Program in Science Policy, Research, and Education and to plan program initiatives for the years ahead.

U.S.-China Seminar on Technical Innovation
March 18-20, 2002
Washington, D.C.

ti

Branscomb, Lewis M. and Qingrui Xu (eds.), 2003, Proceedings of U.S.-China Seminar on Technical Innovation, Arlington: George Mason University National Center for Technology and Law.

 

 

Leading U.S. and Chinese scientists, engineers, and policy-makers gathered at the Industrial Research Institute in Washington, D.C., to examine technical innovation in the 21st century.  Speakers included The Honorable Phillip Bond, Under Secretary of Commerce for Technology; Xueyong Li, Vice Minister of Science and Technology, People's Republic of China; Lewis Branscomb, Harvard University; and Arden Bement, Director, National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).

U.S.-China Forum on Biotechnology and Biomedicine
December 3-5, 2000
Bethesda, Maryland

biotech proceedings

Buccino, Alphonse and You-Lin Qiao (eds.), 2001, Proceedings of U.S.-China Forum on Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Arlington: George Mason University National Center for Technology and Law.

 

 

More than 20 prominent Chinese scientists, engineers, and legal experts joined more than 40 American participants at the Lawton Chiles International House on the campus of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to discuss methods of improving Sino-U.S. cooperation and collaboration in the fields of biotechnology and biomedicine.  Speakers included Dr. Rita R. Colwell, Director of the NSF.

First Sino-U.S. Science Policy Seminar: R&D and the Knowledge-Based Society
October 24-27, 1999
Beijing, China

R&D Proceedings

Blanpied, William and Mu Rongping (eds.), 2000, Proceedings of 1st Sino-US Scinece Policy Seminar, Beijing: Science Press.

 

 

The first in a series of bilateral Sino-U.S. Science Policy Seminars was held in Beijing, China, and focused on the production, dissemination, and application of scientific research.  The Seminar brought together twelve scholars, businessmen, and government officials from the U.S. and China to discuss three broad topics: (1) information and data requirements for science policy, (2) human resources for science and engineering, and (3) the changing character of research and development.  Dr. Thomas Ratchford co-chaired the Seminar with Xu Weixuan of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

Other China S&T Policy Sites

These links to other China science and technology (S&T) policy sites may be useful to both researchers and casual readers. They represent in all cases institutions or programs that have China S&T policy among their interests. In some cases the links are to sites that cover much more than S&T policy, and it will be necessary to search on the site for publications or references to China S&T policy. The GMU China program solicits suggestions for additional links to this section of the website.

China S&T Policy links

China Programs

Advisory Council

An Advisory Council advises and guides the program.  Dr. Fred Bernthal, President of Universities Research Association chairs the panel.  Other members are drawn from government, universities, industries, and scientific and engineering societies and academies.  The core group of council members comprised the U.S. delegation to the June 2002 Beijing Workshop.  The Advisory Council held its first meeting in November 2002 and meets at regular intervals.  At least some of these council meetings will be held in conjunction with broader consultations with the U.S. science, engineering, and policy communities concerning the initiative’s course and agenda. (See more...)

Further Information

In addition to the material on the web sites referred to above, you may obtain additional information on the initiative by contacting the project director:

Dr. J. Thomas Ratchford
Distinguished Visiting Professor
National Center for Technology & Law
George Mason University School of Law
3301 Fairfax Drive, MSN 1E5
Arlington, VA  22201-4498
E-mail: jratchfo@gmu.edu
Phone: 703-993-8210
Fax: 703-993-8211

You may also contact the project coordinator:

Soo Jung Shin
Program Assistant
Science & Trade Policy Program
National Center for Technology & Law
George Mason University School of Law
3301 Fairfax Drive, MSN 1E5
Arlington, VA 22201-4498
sshin2@gmu.edu
 Phone: 703-993-8210
Fax: 703-993-8211

©2006 George Mason School of Law