When the Department of Justice announced last month that it was ending the China Initiative, the controversial Trump-era program that sought to prosecute Chinese espionage, its many critics — particularly in the academic community — breathed a sigh of relief.

Observers say the Initiative ended up unfairly targeting academics of Chinese descent for administrative infractions like improperly filled disclosure forms or grant fraud, rather than countering real threats to U.S. interests. The approach led to high-profile prosecutions of scientists like MIT’s Gang Chen and the University of Tennessee’s Anming Hu, whose cases ended in dismissal or acquittal, but not before inflicting significant damage on their careers. 

The question remains, however: How can the U.S. encourage and benefit from collaboration in areas like research and technology with China, without risking its national security?

Read the full article at The Wire China.