EU-China research relations focus on environment-centred projects amid geopolitical challenges and pandemic disruptions
Despite geopolitical tensions and pandemic-related barriers, China’s participation in EU’s Horizon Europe research program remains stable, emphasising environment-focused collaborations with a green pivot in antimicrobial resistance research
EU-China research relations and environmental projects
While some restrictions have been imposed, joint projects in areas like forest management and pollution continue to foster cooperation between the two regions.
However, concerns over sensitive technological exchanges and military know-how have prompted the European Commission to recalibrate its research relations with China, leading to certain restrictions on Chinese entities’ involvement in close-to-market research calls.
A balance in research cooperation with China
The European Commission seeks to balance research cooperation with China while avoiding potential intellectual property theft and technological vulnerabilities.
A policy shift in the Global Approach to Research and Innovation emphasises the need to reevaluate the cooperation between the EU and China.
Green research takes center stage
Under Horizon Europe, joint projects with China primarily revolve around green initiatives, such as sustainable economy, climate change, ecosystems, and pollution research.
Sensitive technologies like sensors, databases, and the internet have lost popularity in collaborations while ecological and climate-related projects gain traction.
Post-pandemic era presents new challenges
The post-pandemic era presents new challenges for EU-China research collaboration. Travel restrictions, difficulties using software in China, and visa procedures hinder seamless cooperation, but the commitment to working together remains strong.
The EU’s exclusion of Chinese entities from Innovation Actions hampers their involvement in close-to-market projects to develop new or improved products.
Despite potential exemptions for justified reasons, none have been granted so far, affecting China’s participation in a significant portion of Horizon Europe initiatives.
Coordination of joint protects between EU and China
Coordinating joint projects between the EU and China proves challenging due to asynchronous release dates for project guidelines and calls for proposals. This mismatch delays approvals for Chinese partners, hindering smooth project initiation and coordination.
Chinese and Europe research partnerships continue
With the pandemic subsiding, Chinese officials are keenly interested in creating new green-focused research partnerships with Europe.
Chinese researchers are eager to engage in climate change, artificial intelligence, carbon capture, and carbon emission monitoring, looking to foster a cooperative environment for science and technology collaboration between China and the EU.
In conclusion, while EU-China research relations continue, both regions navigate the delicate balance of cooperation while addressing geopolitical concerns and technical vulnerabilities.
Environment-centred projects have gained prominence, while some areas face restrictions. Nonetheless, the desire for mutual scientific advancement persists, and both sides strive to overcome challenges and build a cooperative future.
