China-us S&t Cooperation: past Achievements and Future Challenges1

At the time that science and technology (S&T) relations between China and the US were initiated in 1978, there was much interest in the US in having the S&T relationship contribute to the building of a broad “web of relationships” between the two countries. In many ways, this goal has been met. We have seen science and technology make notable contributions to the economic relationships between the two countries, to new approaches to technological development and to the expansion of research collaboration. What started out as a government to government relationship has truly led to the creation of a web in which a wide variety of individuals and organizations on both sides of the Pacific are collaborating in research, innovation, policy discourse, and the building of institutions providing the infrastructure for further scientific and technological development. In all of this, the political relationship between the two countries has been served; the S&T relationship has been an enduring tie even in periods when the political relationship had reached its nadir.