Q: Recently, American Professor Charles Lieber of Harvard University was convicted for lying about his ties with China’s “Thousand Talent Program”. What is your comment?

A: The purpose of China's "Thousand Talents Plan" is to promote talent mobility between China and other countries and to galvanize international cooperation in scientific and technological innovation. This is no different from other countries' practices in this area. "Thousand Talent Plan" respects scientists, technology and protects intellectual property rights. The Chinese side opposes all words and practices that stigmatize the "Thousand Talents Plan", supports and champions the global mobility of scientific knowledge and talent.

Some media describes Lieber's ruling as a victory for the U.S. government's China Initiative. It's totally wrong and seriously misleading to the public. The U.S. government claims that China Initiative aimed at the so-called economic espionage. However, based on DOJ's press release, Lieber was convicted of False Statements and Tax related issues, with nothing to do with economic espionage.

We have noted that US justice departments’ repression of scientists and damage to normal China-US scientific and technological exchange in the name of combating economic espionage have already evoked doubts among visionary people in the US. We urge the US to listen to the call for justice from within, stop this wrong practice, and meet with China halfway to jointly maintain and promote normal scientific and technological exchanges and cooperation between the two countries.