In the 1950s, a wave of anti-communist paranoia, known as maccartism, forced many prominent Chinese scientists to leave the United States. Today, as experts warn, a akin atmosphere of suspicion and repression returns – and its effects can be equally dramatic.
From “China Initiative” to “China Initiative 2.0”?
In 2018, Donald Trump's administration launched a China Initiative program, officially designed to fight economical espionage for China. In practice, however, thousands of Chinese scientists, frequently without evidence, have been targeted by the FBI. Many have lost their jobs, property to fight in courts, and any even their lives.
As reported by the South China Morning Post, in 2020 and 2024 2 professors cooperating with China under the program A 1000 Talents committed suicide. Although China Initiative was officially completed in 2022 after a wave of criticism, the fresh Wang Xiaofeng case – a computer scientist released from Indiana University after an FBI raid – suggests that this policy returns under a fresh name.
Scientists choose China
The effect of these actions is counterproductive: alternatively of protecting American know-how, suspicion policy accelerates the outflow of talent to China. According to Nature, more and more Chinese scientists are giving up grants in the United States, fearing surveillance. Meanwhile, Beijing actively encourages them to return, offering better conditions and... peace.
– In the 1950s, Makkartism received the USA, among others, Nobel laureate Chen Ning Yang, who returned to China – reminds Prof. Li Cheng of Brookings Institution. – present past repeats itself, only with a scale covers thousands of people.
– Why would they hazard their lives in a country where they could be treated like spies only due to their origins? – asks Prof. Gang Chen of MIT, erstwhile accused within China Initiative.
According to National discipline Foundation data, the number of Chinese scientists in the US is dropping, while Beijing is intensely attracting programme professionals specified as the 1000 Talents.
History lesson: “They first came for others...”
– Our household will fight not only for themselves, but for the full technological community," says Nianli Ma, Wang Xiaofenga's wife, besides fired from work. Like another Chinese researchers, matrimony prepares a lawsuit. Their determination resembles the actions of global students who after a series of winning trials forced Trump administration to reconstruct their legal status.
– Silence has its price," emphasises Gang Chen, prof. of MIT and victim of China Initiative, quoting the words of German pastor Martin Niemöller about passiveness towards Nazi persecution. Pastor Niemöller warned against inactivity: “First they came for the socialists, and I kept quiet... yet they came for me – and there was no 1 left to protest.”
As in the 1950s, erstwhile Makkartism deprived the U.S. of among others Tsung-Dao Lee, present America risks losing another generation of scientists. Will society wake up this time before it's besides late?
Makkartism
McCarthy's campaign, besides known as “maccartism”, was a period in the past of the United States (the 1950s), characterized by intense persecution of people suspected of communist sympathy. Senator Joseph McCarthy campaigned against alleged Communist infiltrations in government, media, and academia, leading to many unfair accusations and repression.
In the context of Chinese scientists, Makkartism touched among others:
Qian Xuesen (Tsien Hsue-shen) – an outstanding scientist, expert in aerodynamics and rocket technology who worked in the USA (among others in Caltech and the JPL project). He was accused of ties to communism, deprived of access to secret projects, under home arrest since 1950. In 1955, he left China, where he played a key function in the improvement of the Chinese space and rocket program.
Chen Ning Yang (Yang Zhenning) – a physicist, Nobel Prize laureate (1957), who, though not straight repressed, experienced suspicion of Chinese scientists, which led to his being prevented from technological work.
Makkartism influenced many another scientists and intellectuals of Asian origin, creating an atmosphere of fear and discrimination. In the case of China, this policy contributed to the failure by the US of valuable specialists who later supported the technological and technological improvement of the People's Republic of China.
Today, this situation is repeated, with a larger scale of return. China is much more attractive to scientists present than it was in the 1950s.
Source:
• Ling Xin, South China Morning Post (3.05.201025)
• Asian-American student Forum
• National discipline Foundation
Leszek B. Glass
Email: [email protected]
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