Illustration: VCG
Editor’s Note:
When Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez delivered a speech on the Chinese Academy of Sciences throughout his current go to to China, he stated, “In recent years, collaboration between our research institutions and scientific communities has grown stronger. Researchers move between our countries, ideas travel, and together we build knowledge that no country can or could build alone… These partnerships show something important: Cooperation does not weaken science. It strengthens it.” How can we facilitate the movement of data and concepts between China and European nations to construct bridges of understanding and cooperation? In the eighth article of the “China-Europe Resonance” column, we invite consultants and students from China and Europe to debate these subjects.
‘Researchers transfer between our nations, concepts journey’
Xiao Qian (deputy director of the Center for International Security and Strategy, Tsinghua University): Currently, scientific analysis cooperation between China and Spain, and different European nations, is turning into more and more shut. For instance, a sequence of secure cooperation mechanisms have been established between Chinese, Spanish and European universities. Represented by joint analysis tasks between Tsinghua University and universities such because the University of Barcelona and the Polytechnic University of Madrid, each side are repeatedly selling collaborative analysis in areas comparable to vitality transition, city governance and digital applied sciences. This has not solely achieved useful resource sharing but in addition promoted the growth of analysis subjects from single disciplines to interdisciplinary integration.
From the two-way movement of researchers to joint college analysis tasks, after which to joint laboratories throughout establishments, this cooperation will not be solely mirrored in quantitative progress but in addition in structural deepening. The trade of students will not be merely a “personnel movement” but in addition an interplay and reconstruction of data programs. In this course of, researchers are each producers of data and “translators” of cross-cultural understanding, selling dialogue and integration between totally different cognitive frameworks.
Tu Dong (affiliate professor on the College of Foreign Languages and Cultures, Sichuan University): China and Spain have regularly established numerous types of scientific and technological cooperation, together with R&D and implementation tasks led by each native and nationwide enterprises, in addition to joint analysis tasks carried out by universities. At the multidisciplinary degree, each fundamental and utilized sciences are effectively developed and represented. The cooperation spans each basic and utilized sciences, masking numerous fields comparable to agriculture, astronomy, marine science, biomedicine, new vitality, synthetic intelligence, and the digital financial system. Notably, collaboration in cutting-edge areas like energy batteries, new vitality autos, photovoltaics, and vitality storage has been notably robust and productive lately.
This cooperative framework yields a number of optimistic outcomes. First, it strengthens in-depth exchanges and information sharing between researchers from each side, offering sustained momentum for bilateral scientific and technological cooperation. Second, collaboration builds belief and friendship that transcend cultural variations, fostering mutual understanding between Chinese and Spanish tutorial communities and laying a social basis for the wholesome growth of bilateral relations. And there stays room for enchancment by way of general scale and frequency.
Augusto Soto (director of Dialogue with China Project, Spain): Since the institution of diplomatic relations between Spain and China in March 1973, technological trade has been probably the most dynamic pillars of their bilateral relationship. This has change into notably evident over the previous twenty years, because the complete strategic partnership was established in November 2005.
What is the importance of cross-border tutorial exchanges? This is undoubtedly one of many defining challenges of our time. With the US administration waging battle on open commerce and the free motion of individuals – notably cross-border tutorial exchanges – Europe and China stand to learn by attracting expertise. In reality, that is already occurring. They also can discover methods to establish additional synergies.
‘Cooperation doesn’t weaken science. It strengthens it’
Tu Dong: Cooperation is an inevitable alternative grounded within the legal guidelines of scientific growth and sensible needs. China and Spain every have their very own strengths in science and know-how, permitting for exact complementarity and mutually helpful integration.
Through cooperation, scientists from China and Spain cannot solely obtain their very own skilled progress, but in addition improve the 2 nations’ voice and affect in international science and know-how governance.
It is cheap to consider that, on this new wave of scientific and technological cooperation, China and Spain – given their robust alignment and complementarity throughout a number of areas of comparative benefit – are absolutely able to opening up a brand new panorama of scientific collaboration and turning into a core driving power in unlocking broader dimensions of cooperative potential.
Augusto Soto: International technological cooperation is nothing new. In quick, with out these contacts, humanity wouldn’t be what it’s as we speak, nor would it not have reached its present degree of development.
Inventions and methods transcend borders and generate new methods. Consider the firecracker, invented in China through the Tang Dynasty (618-907), which advanced into the area rocket by cross-border diffusion.
Xiao Qian: From the angle of data manufacturing, transnational interplay is key. Science isn’t the results of remoted growth. Whether it is the formation of fundamental theories or the evolution of technological programs, each depend on long-term cross-regional information accumulation and collaborative innovation. No single nation can construct an entire scientific information system in a closed surroundings. On the opposite, the historical past of scientific growth has repeatedly confirmed that openness and trade are the important thing driving forces for breakthroughs.
Therefore, viewing scientific cooperation as a “byproduct of competition” is a misjudgment. In as we speak’s world, many main issues dealing with humanity are inherently “cross-border”: local weather change, public well being, synthetic intelligence security, and nuclear threat management. In the trendy scientific period, China-Europe cooperation has change into an essential power driving international information manufacturing and technological breakthroughs.
‘Create lasting bonds between science communities’
Augusto Soto: In Chinese, the phrase for “robot” is jiqiren. The character ji can convey summary ideas comparable to “chance” or “opportunity.” It carries a optimistic connotation and is inspiring. Together, we could have extra alternatives to make progress.
There are examples inside the Chinese and European tutorial communities. One of probably the most notable examples is the joint area mission SMILE (Solar wind Magnetosphere Ionosphere Link Explorer), which goals to acquire the primary international picture of the Earth’s magnetosphere.
A know-how that made a big impact in Europe is the latest spectacular showcase of robotics. During German Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s go to to Unitree Robotics in Hangzhou in February 2026, he confirmed appreciation for the robots’ efficiency.
These can encourage us to ascertain stronger and extra significant cooperative relationships to deal with future technological challenges collectively, and even speed up progress on this space.
Tu Dong: Scientific and technological cooperation can’t depend on short-term enthusiasm alone; it requires secure mechanisms to make sure long-term help.
China-Spain cooperation may function a mannequin for China-Europe relations. For Spain, alongside efforts to revitalize its financial system and conventional industries, strengthening cooperation with China in rising fields comparable to AI and robotics is an appropriate choice. For China, constructing on cooperation with established technological powers like France and Germany, and increasing collaboration with extra European nations, together with Spain, may also help develop a brand new kind of science and know-how partnership and help broader China-Europe cooperation. In the context of world uncertainty, nearer China-Spain cooperation is a constructive response.
Xiao Qian: Establishing lasting bonds between Chinese and European science communities is of great sensible significance. Both sides are complementary of their scientific analysis traditions and institutional environments. Moreover, China-Europe cooperation also can assist keep the openness of scientific cooperation globally, stopping the over-securitization of technological growth from resulting in systemic fragmentation. Through joint analysis, joint customary setting and threat evaluation, Chinese and European teachers can discover a extra balanced governance mannequin between technological growth and threat management.