By Jun Sheng

"Science and technology are a sharp weapon for mankind's struggle against disease, and mankind's capability to overcome major disasters and epidemics is inseparable from scientific development and technological innovation," President Xi delivered an important speech at the panel of experts and scholars on June 2, highlighting the key supporting role of scientific research in building a strong public health system.

Science and technology are an important weapon to overcome the pandemic. Whether it is the optimization of the testing methods at the early stage of the outbreak or the development of vaccines as a cure, it all depends on the scientific research capabilities of various countries.

The white paper titled Fighting COVID-19: China in Action released on June 7 shows that five vaccines have been approved for clinical trials in China, and the overall R&D progress is the same as that of foreign countries. Some technological routes of China lead the world.

It is the sufficient kinetic energy provided by the scientific research strength, and the unremitting efforts of the scientific researchers day and nightthat make rapid research and development possible.

Exchanges and mutual learning are inevitable requirements for the development of science and technology. As "we are waves of the same sea, leaves of the same tree, flowers of the same garden", the exchange and cooperation in science, technology, and culture between countries are an indispensable part of the regularinteraction of the international community.

China adheres to the concept of a community with a shared future for mankind and strives to promote the achievements of science and technology innovation to benefit more other countries and people while continuously developing itself.

During the implementation of the Belt and Road Initiative, China proposed a science and technology innovation action plan, and has actively implemented innovative talents’ exchange projects, and supported Chinese and foreign creative talents to carry out exchanges, training, and cooperative research.

The development and application of China's science and technology have adhered to the spirit of cooperation and openness, moving forward with the world and making joint progress.

Recently, the cooperation between Chinese and American scholars successfully made cross-border quantum entanglement between atoms and molecules. This is another gratifying achievement in scientific and technological exchanges and cooperation between two countries.

However, at the same time, some US politicians aim to hinder the regular exchange of science, technology, and culture between the two countries. They weaponized their visas and suspended some Chinese students and scholars from entering the US and even ridiculously falsely accused them of being spies, using national security as an excuse.

Brad Farnsworth, vice president of the American Council on Education (ACE), believes that "the US will lose its internationally leading position in some fields if there are no Chinese students."

Facts have proved that various artificial restrictions imposed by the US on the regular exchanges and cooperation between China and the US are contrary to public opinion. This approach will only hurt others without necessarily benefiting oneself. It exposes the deep-rooted Cold War thinking of some US politicians.

At present, the international community is facing common challenges and the urgent need for solidarity and cooperation. This practice of the US is not conducive to the current international community's joint anti-pandemic fight. It also may harmregularinternational scientific and cultural exchanges in the "post-pandemic era."

"Rivers and seas do not choose small streams, so they can be deep." Even the largest sea will dry up one day if the inflow of rivers is intentionally blocked.

From a historical point of view, scientific, technological, and cultural exchanges have promoted the development and progress of human civilization.

From a practical point of view, only by treating human society as a community with ashared destiny and working together to tackle the key issues can we overcome the current pandemic and achieve more long-term development.

A few American politicians with Cold War mentality and zero-sum thinking and ideological prejudice block exchanges and cooperation. This is against the trend of history and cannot stop regularexchanges between other countries.

Let technological innovation benefit the world. After the research and development of China's COVID-19 vaccine is completed and it is put into use, it will serve as a global public product and make China's contribution to achieving the accessibility and affordability of vaccines in developing countries.

This is a solemn commitment undertaken by China and an explicit declaration of the Chinese philosophy. The trend of the world is surging forward. A few politicians will not change the common desire of mankind to join hands for a better tomorrow.