The Chinese government seeks to exert influence through its scholarship and exchange programs. This issue brief assembles a picture of the China Scholarship Council—the primary vehicle by which the state provides scholarships—through Chinese-language sources.

Official data shows a 75 percent increase in the number of U.S. residents advancing through Express Entry, Canada's flagship skilled immigration program. These findings call for immigration reforms and greater investment in STEM research and workforce development.

This 2017 document lists technical positions that the Hefei Institutes of Physical Sciences hoped to fill through talent programs. It is an unusually detailed example of a Chinese research institution’s efforts to recruit foreign scientists.

See our translation of a complete list and description of all Chinese Academy of Science talent recruitment programs. CAS has talent programs primarily targeting young scientists in strategic and emerging disciplines, including defense-related “military-civil fusion” technologies; some are aimed at domestic S&T talent, while others recruit foreign scientists.

See CSET's translation of a document detailing the number and affiliation of CAS-sponsored candidates for China’s “Youth Thousand Talents Program” as of 2011. Under the program, prospective employers such as CAS are responsible for identifying overseas talent they wish to recruit, and must submit applications on behalf of their candidates.

See our translation of the Ministry of Science and Technology plan which outlines China’s priorities for “military-civil fusion” in the years 2016–2020. The plan aims to eliminate stovepipes between the Chinese military and civilian innovation ecosystem.

Current immigration policies may undermine the historic strength of the United States in attracting and retaining international AI talent. This report examines the immigration policies of four U.S. economic competitor nations—the United Kingdom, Canada, France, and Australia—to offer best practices for ensuring future AI competitiveness.

This report summarizes Chinese reactions to a May 29th White House proclamation forbidding entry to the United States of graduate students or researchers with past or current affiliations with entities supporting China’s military-civil fusion. It draws on sources ranging from government statements and state-owned media to blog posts.

The United States faces increased international competition for top talent in artificial intelligence, a critical component of the American AI advantage. CSET surveyed recent AI PhDs from U.S. universities, offering insights into the academic and career preferences of the AI workforce.

Research and development funding and technological leadership are crucial to sustaining America’s comparative advantages. While the prevailing narrative suggests that China leads in a bipolar competition, in reality, the United States and its allies comprise a majority of global R&D.