An American Nobel laureate has accused the US authorities of hindering scientific collaboration with China whereas praising Hong Kong and the mainland for their “tremendous respect” for science and academia.
Randy Schekman, who gained the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2013, additionally praised Hong Kong’s openness and “free spirit” in contrast with the mainland, whereas urging each areas to foster extra creativity amongst youth.
He made the remarks at a press briefing forward of his keynote handle on the Future Science Prize Week’s annual convention for the Asian Young Scientist Fellowship in Hong Kong on Thursday.
The fellowship recognises younger scientists from throughout the area for their excellent achievements and encourages private-sector funding to help regional analysis.
Asked in regards to the state of scientific cooperation between the US and China amid geopolitical tensions, Schekman described it as a “very, very bad time”.
“There’s no reason that there should be any interruption in communication about basic science. This is not rocket science. This is not cybersecurity,” he stated.