China is considering a ‘green card’ program to attract more foreign scientists

Beijing is mulling a “green card” program to attract more foreign scientists, according to a resolution published after China’s plenum session.

Chinese leader Xi Jinping on Monday warned that current scientific innovation “falls short” of expectations. A China-based Russian-French physicist told the South China Morning Post that permanent residency would help foreign scientists navigate challenges like traveling outside of China and salary delays.

However, scientific collaboration with China is controversial in the West: A recent study found that in 2022, the total number of papers co-authored by Chinese researchers and international peers fell for the first time since 2013.

Researchers worry about the impact of escalating geopolitical tensions on scientific collaboration, with one saying it could have a “chilling effect” on tackling global problems like climate change and food security.