China seeks closer US links on research, AI in education

China has urged closer cooperation with the United States in scientific research and the use of artificial intelligence in education, while boosting youth exchanges, writes Sylvie Zhuang for South China Morning Post.

The call from China’s education vice-minister Chen Jie came as he met New York University president Linda G Mills in Beijing earlier this week. “[We] welcome more outstanding students from NYU to come to China for study and exchange,” Chen told Mills, according to a readout published on the education ministry website on Thursday 14 March.

Beijing is under growing pressure from US technology curbs amid an intense geopolitical rivalry with Washington with AI as one of the main battle fronts, and has called for more international cooperation in the field in recent years. “[We are] willing to bring 50,000 young Americans to China for exchange and study in the next five years,” Chen said, inviting NYU to participate in the initiative announced by Chinese President Xi Jinping last year.
Full report on the South China Morning Post site