US-China rift over IP theft could hinder research exchange

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Espionage concerns at US universities have led to restrictions on visas of Chinese grad students pursing ‘sensitive’ science

Increased diplomatic tension between the US and China is threatening academic collaboration between the two countries. The White House is concerned that America’s scientific pre-eminence is endangered by foreigners trying to steal valuable technology and intellectual property, and this is has translated into new visa restrictions. These restrictionsmean that Chinese graduates can only workin fields identified as ‘sensitive’, such as aviation and advanced manufacturing, for one year.