The Ministry of Commerce of China File photo: VCG

A spokesperson for China's Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) on Friday criticized the US for imposing restrictions on scientific research cooperation involving Chinese institutions, calling the move a deliberate attempt to undermine normal China-US scientific research cooperation and warning that China will take necessary measures to safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of its research institutions.

The comments came after the US Department of Defense on October 19, US Eastern Time, released the results of research security reviews of several US universities, saying they had fully terminated cooperation with entities on the Section 1286 list, which includes numerous Chinese scientific research institutions.

"China has consistently opposed the US overstretching the concept of national security, politicizing, weaponizing and instrumentalizing exchanges and cooperation in scientific research, and making groundless accusations to 'stigmatize' Chinese scientific research institutions," a MOFCOM spokesperson said in a statement.

The relevant US practices are, in essence, an attempt to coerce US research institutions into "choosing sides" and deliberately undermine normal China-US scientific research cooperation, the spokesperson said, adding “This will only weaken the US' own scientific and technological progress and innovative development, amounting to shooting itself in the foot.”

Strengthening scientific research cooperation between China and the US serves the common interests of both sides, while imposing restrictions and pursuing "decoupling" will only harm both sides, according to the spokesperson.

“China urges the US to respect facts, follow the general principles and prevailing trend of global scientific and technological exchanges and cooperation, and immediately stop the wrongful practice of taking discriminatory and restrictive measures against Chinese scientific research institutions,” the spokesperson said, stressing that China will take necessary measures to safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese scientific research institutions.

Global Times