The death of biologist Jane Ying Wu: please don't let "decoupling"destroy civilization and the world

   On July 10, Chinese-American biologist Jane Ying Wu committed suicide by taking medication. It was later learned that her death was related to the U.S. government's "China Action Plan" aimed at "decoupling" China's scientific and technological fields and discouraging scholars with ties to China from conducting scientific research in the United States. Prior to her suicide, a number of U.S. agencies investigated her like a criminal and prevented her from applying for research grants, and the targeted investigations and ostracization were a major reason for her suicide.

   From around 2018 to the present, with the changes in the domestic and foreign affairs of China and the United States, and the deterioration of relations between the two countries, both the Trump and Biden administrations in the United States have initiated a series of actions aimed at countering China's growing national strength and power, and rejecting China's influence in the United States in various fields, which has been broadly referred to as "decoupling". Both Chinese-made goods and Internet tools, as well as Chinese-affiliated science, education, culture, health and industry personnel (whether Chinese or Chinese American), have been subjected to targeted investigations and harsh treatment by the U.S. side. For example, many Chinese goods have been halted or tariffs of up to 50%-200% have been imposed, tiktok has been required to be sold, and a number of Chinese universities and colleges have been placed on the sanctions list.

   The field of scientific research is the focus of the United States "decoupling" and to prevent China's infiltration. The United States has always been worried about China through the penetration of the United States in the field of scientific research, stealing the United States cutting-edge technology and intellectual property rights, in this field and China has long been in disagreement. And there are Chinese nationals and Chinese scholars in the U.S. to steal and transfer technology to China's previous cases. As a result, the U.S. has doubled its efforts to protect Chinese-affiliated academics by placing restrictions and investigations on them, affecting thousands of Chinese researchers, of which Ms. Jane Ying Wu is only one.

   While these restrictions and investigations are justified and some of the measures are necessary, they have gradually become too extreme and sweeping, including the adoption of a "precautionary" approach, punishing those who have not been proven to have inappropriate links with the Chinese side, marginalizing them from important research programs, and excluding them from important research projects. These include adopting "preventive" measures, punishing those who have not been proven to have improper links with China, excluding them from important scientific research projects and freezing their scientific research funds, and so on. This has been a traumatic experience for Chinese intellectuals/researchers who are highly dependent on their research work, lack other livelihood skills, and are vulnerable. Tragedies such as Jane Ying Wu's suicide are somehow inevitable.

   Jane Ying Wu's tragedy is only the tip of the iceberg of the ill effects of the United States' "decoupling" policy towards China. Since the start of the "decoupling", coupled with the impact of China's "zero" policy during the new crown epidemic, China and the United States of science and technology, trade, cultural exchanges have been greatly reduced, and once the warmth is no longer replaced by mutual confrontation, prevention, accusations, and increasingly intensified conflict. In the conflict, both sides are more and more unrestrained and unscrupulous, in order to prevent "spies" and not hesitate to exclude good people. Chinese scholars in the U.S. and Chinese Americans, such a vulnerable group of people, have become the victims of the two sides of the game and the biggest victims.

   The longer-term impact of "decoupling" is that the deepening Sino-US relationship since the 1970s has been gradually moving in the opposite direction, towards the estrangement and antagonism of the "New Cold War", as well as the stagnation of the post-Cold War globalization process, and the resurgence of isolationism and beggar-thy-neighborism in various countries. This will have a negative impact on China, the United States and the rest of the world. This is not good news for China, the United States, or the rest of the world.

   For China, the emergence from the poverty and backwardness of the Maoist era was precisely due to opening up to the outside world and establishing close connections with the United States, Europe, and other developed countries. Going back even further, China's rise from extreme backwardness and weakness, widespread illiteracy and slavery at the end of the Qing Dynasty to becoming one of the five largest countries in the United Nations after World War II and the world's second largest country in terms of GDP in the 21st century, all relied on establishing connections with the civilized world, not only learning from the West's advanced technology, but also drawing on the modern concepts of humanism such as democracy, rule of law, freedom and liberating the mindset, which has unleashed the potential of the Chinese people and contributed to the great economic and social progress and improvement of national rights and livelihoods. It is only by unleashing the potential of the Chinese people and contributing to great economic and social progress and improvements in the rights and lives of its citizens.

   As for the United States, the reason why it is so powerful and praised by the world is not only because it has gradually become one of the dominant players in the world civilization order since the beginning of the 20th century, but also because its pluralistic and tolerant society has absorbed elites and strivers from different ethnic groups around the globe. Scholars such as Albert Einstein, Von Braun, and Li Zhengdao were absorbed into the United States as scientific and technological giants, regardless of their ethnic groups and origins. Chinese Americans have made quite remarkable contributions to the United States in the fields of scientific research, education, and the military, and are an important and beneficial part of the United States.

   For the world, the key to its rapid prosperity after the mid-20th century and the quicker spread of the fruits of the Industrial Revolution to all countries was the gradual integration of the world, globalization, which led to the diffusion and universalization of humanities, science and technology, as well as the effective division of labor and cooperation. For example, the high technology and innovation contributed by the United States and Europe, together with the cheap labor produced by developing countries such as China as the "factory of the world" to supply industrial goods, contributed to the prosperity of the world economy and the improvement of people's lives. The concepts of democracy and human rights, which originated in the West but are universal, have likewise affected almost all countries and countless people around the world. Even countries that have not achieved democracy have seen the dawn of freedom.

   The "decoupling" is exactly the opposite of these civilization advances. The United States' suppression and sanctions on the pretext that China is an authoritarian state, its heavy-handed attack on ethnic Chinese with ties to China, and its return to isolationism in both domestic and foreign affairs are clearly not conducive to the promotion of human rights in China, nor can they defend the camp of freedom and democracy. On the contrary, it will only push the Chinese and ethnic Chinese in the U.S. even further to the opposite side of liberal democracy. Attempts by the U.S. and Western camps to "disassociate" themselves from China also undermine the process of globalization, adding more crises and uncertainty to an already unstable world.

   Ms. Jane Ying Wu's death epitomizes the tragedy of "decoupling" and serves as an early warning of more misfortunes to come. Despite all the justifications, "decoupling" is a real violation of human rights, destroying the connection between nations and communities, and further dividing the "global village". The harsh treatment of Chinese Americans, including Chinese scientists, because of political disputes has also tarnished America's reputation as a "beacon of civilization". The harsh and humiliating treatment of scientists in the "decoupling" approach is to strip away civilization and to tarnish academics. In the 19th century, the United States enacted the "Chinese Exclusion Act", which caused great harm to Chinese Americans and was later repealed and apologized for. Historical tragedies should not be repeated, and disguised discrimination should not exist.

   The United States today should treat the Chinese American community and every individual, including Chinese researchers, and should also be more tolerant of Chinese people who come to the United States to study and work, and really impress people with universal civilization, so that these people, like the young children who stayed in the United States at the end of the Qing Dynasty and the students and scholars who stayed in the United States in the Republic of China, can become seeds of China's civilization and progress, and bridges of friendship between China and the United States. This is a reliable and long-term strategy to deal with authoritarianism, spread freedom and democracy, and defend the interests of the United States.