Senate Report Examines China's Pursuit of U.S. Science

A U.S. Senate subcommittee published a report Monday that explores China's efforts to become the world's dominant research power, in part by targeting -- in ways legal and "extralegal" -- American scientists and U.S. research universities. The report, by the U.S. Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, among other things calls for U.S. government agencies to "develop a comprehensive strategy to combat both illegal and extralegal transfers of U.S. intellectual capital." Even as it calls for more rigorous protection of American research, it emphasizes the "critical importance of foreign students and researchers in the United States and the importance of international research collaboration."

These issues were aired last week at the annual meeting of the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities.