Action recommendations for cooperation with China

For almost 50 years, the Max-Planck-Gesellschaft (MPG) has maintained scientific exchange with the People’s Republic of China (hereinafter referred to as China). With the establishment of official relations withthe Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) in 1974, the MPG assumed a pioneering role in the German sciencesystem, has since maintained successful cooperation with many Chinese researchers and would like to continue this progress-oriented cooperation in the future for the benefit of humanity. However, changes in thepolitical situation both in China and around the world pose a challenge for further scientific cooperationwith China. They require an even more differentiated assessment of this cooperation in the area of tensionbetween freedom of research and responsibility. In view of the opportunities and risks, the MPG would like toidentify opportunities and framework conditions for future cooperation with Chinese partners, with the aim ofenabling scientists from the MPG to continue cooperating with researchers from China in the future despitechanging framework conditions.

Mutual understanding and a culturally sensitive approach are important prerequisites for sound decisionsand balanced cooperation with China. With this in mind, the MPG aims to strengthen the expertise of its scientists and employees with respect to China. By doing so, the MPG is ensuring that the responsible scientistsare more aware of the risks involved in cooperating with Chinese partner organizations.

The subject areas and processes described below form the framework for future research cooperation with China and are a country-specific supplement to the “Guidelines for development of international collaborations of the Max-Planck-Gesellschaft” of March 2021 and November 2022, which thus places them in thecontext of the “Notes and Rules of the MPG on Dealing Responsibly with Freedom of Research and ResearchRisks” of March 2017.