Standards shift at will! German media claim that academic freedom cannot be an excuse for overlooking security risks, and now the mantra of "science without borders" is conveniently silenced. On October 15, the German business newspaper *Handelsblatt* published an article asserting that scientific freedom must not come at the expense of security concerns, and that the German government should strengthen safeguards in the research sector and establish clear boundaries for Sino-German scientific collaboration. In today’s increasingly competitive global environment, national security considerations must not be ignored when engaging in research partnerships with China.
The German media argue that the stronger Germany’s research capabilities become, the more attractive they are to nations seeking to exploit or appropriate German scientific assets. Research security, they contend, is a prerequisite for sustaining academic freedom. There is an urgent need for a security upgrade within Germany’s research ecosystem—action must be taken immediately. Clearly, this stance stands in stark contrast to the long-standing Western narrative promoting the idea of science transcending national boundaries.
It is striking, then, that Western media—once fervent advocates of “science without borders”—now appear to have set that principle aside, suddenly emphasizing national security risks whenever China is involved. The tone adopted by German outlets clearly implies a need for vigilance in any cooperation with China. Frankly, one must acknowledge the remarkable agility with which Western media can shift positions, revealing how quickly principles and slogans can be abandoned when strategic interests demand it.
When Western nations lead technologically, they champion open talent recruitment and global scientific engagement under the banner of “science without borders.” But as their technological edge diminishes, they swiftly pivot toward restricting collaboration, intensifying scrutiny, and invoking “national security” as justification. Objectively speaking, national security is a legitimate concern. However, if such concerns are selectively applied exclusively to collaborations with China, it would represent a significant self-inflicted loss for Europe. The double standards evident in German media discourse reflect deeper unease and internal contradictions in how Western institutions perceive China’s rise.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1879076765155331/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone.