雙語社評齊齊聽

[英語 (足本收聽)] Presented by Mr TSANG, William Wai-sum, Associate Division Head of Hong Kong Community College, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

[普通話 (足本收聽)] Presented by Dr MAO, Michelle Sheng, Lecturer of Hong Kong Community College, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

DONALD TRUMP, the US president, has signalled a change of stance on the trade war, saying that he is not prepared to reach a deal with China at the moment. Meanwhile China's state media outlets have struck a tough pose, warning that "don't say we did not give you a heads up". The State Council has even published a white paper titled "China's Position on the China US Economic and Trade Consultations", saying that the United States is fully responsible for the setbacks in China US trade talks. All the indications are that the disagreements between the two powers are likely to spill over from the trade war into other areas. What is unpalatable is that political and economic bickering might have harmful consequences for the academic arena. This will do all harm and no good for not only the academic worlds in both countries but also academic progress in the entire world.

[ENG audio 1]

Struggles between two countries make both of them losers, and no one in the world wants to see that. However, when those in power are determined to gain supremacy, ordinary people — whether out of patriotism, self interest or the need to comply with the law — have to follow the lead of the country. In China, the policies of the government dominate everything. Orders from Beijing are executed through the administrative hierarchy the moment they are issued. In the US, while ordinary people enjoy a high degree of freedom, the government can, through legal means, customs, approval of investment, conditions attached to funding, etc, leave private organisations with little choice but to obey its orders.

[ENG audio 2]

With China and the US in a clash and locking horns over every matter, there is one area that should be left alone. What the academic field pursues is technology that benefits the entire human race, production techniques, management skills and the study of human behavioural patterns, all of which have universal meanings. Hence the saying "academic research has no frontiers". However, several incidents that have happened in the US recently run counter to the ideal of "academia as a place unspoiled by arguments between nations".

[ENG audio 3]

First, some US universities no longer accept Chinese students studying in some fields. The only reason is that Chinese students studying in fields related to national defence technology might equip themselves with the knowledge and pose a threat to the US's national security. The US cannot be faulted for believing so and acting so. After all, the US has the discretion to decide whether students from another country can be issued a visa. This has happened in the past, and when the historical circumstances change, so will the policies.

[ENG audio 4]

Second, the US is conducting a "purge" of Chinese academics. Li Xiaojiang and Li Shihua, tenured professors and husband and wife who have served Emory University for 23 years, have been sacked by the university. The couple's academic research is of global importance. However, they were dismissed for failing to disclose funding sources coming from outside the US and details of their cooperation with higher education institutions in China.

[ENG audio 5]

Beijing has repeatedly stressed that "we do not want to be in a trade war, we are not afraid to be in a trade war, and we will not shy away from a trade war when it is necessary". In the current stage, the emphasis is on being "not afraid to be in a trade war". But we believe academics from either country do not want to be in a trade war. If the dignity of academic freedom is trampled on and technology becomes a slave to politics, it will be a matter of great sadness to scholars all around the world.

[ENG audio 6]

中美全面開戰在即 切戒蔓延學術範疇

美國總統特朗普在貿易戰問題上轉口風，說暫時沒有準備跟中國達成協議。中國官方媒體已經擺出「勿謂言之不預」的強硬姿態，國務院更發布《關於中美經貿磋商的中方立場》白皮書，指出中美經貿談判受挫，責任完全在於美國。從種種迹象看來，相信兩國爭持從貿易戰蔓延到其他範疇，指日可待。然而，有一個令人難堪的局面是，政治經濟爭端殃及學術領域，這對兩國的學術界，以至世界的學術進步都百害而無一利。

[PTH audio 1]

兩國相鬥，本會雙輸，世人不想見到，但當權者仍然執意要分個高下，民間無論是出於愛國情懷、利益驅使，抑或是要遵紀守法，都要跟隨國家的大方向，在中國，政府政策主導一切，北京一聲令下，通過行政架構可以將政策貫徹到底。在美國，雖然民間有很大的自由度，但政府仍然可以通過法律、關稅、投資審批、撥款的附帶條件等等，使民間機構難有選擇的餘地。

[PTH audio 2]

中美兩國大動干戈，處處針鋒相對，但有一個領域應該留作「淨土」，因為學術界所追尋的是對全人類有益有利的科技，以及生產的技術與管理技巧，或者是研究人類的行為模式，是有普世意義的，因此有「學術無疆界」的說法。然而，最近發生在美國的幾個事情，跟「學術淨土」的理想背道而馳。

[PTH audio 3]

第一個情况是美國一些大學已經在某些專業不再招收中國學生，理由無非是某些跟國防科技有關的專業，讓中國學生學到本領，會對美國國家安全構成威脅。美國要如此認為和付諸行動，無可厚非，畢竟給哪些國家的學生發簽證，是美國的主權，而且歷史上也不是沒有發生過，到歷史條件改變，政策也會翻盤。

[PTH audio 4]

第二種情况是「清理」一批中國學者。哀默里大學開除李曉江和李世華夫婦，這兩位終身教授在該大學服務了23年，研究成果備受國際關注，而今被該大學解職，理由是李氏夫婦沒有披露美國以外的研究經費來源，以及跟中國高校合作研究的詳情。

[PTH audio 5]

北京一直強調，對於貿易戰，「我們不願打，也不怕打，必要時不得不打」，目前的階段是強調「不怕打」。但相信無論是中國還是美國的學者，在學術領域都「不願打」，因為一旦學術自由的尊嚴被踐踏，科技只能為政治服務，這是全球學者的悲哀。

[PTH audio 6]

明報社評2019.06.03