After almost continuous lockdowns since 2020, the Harvard-China Project was finally able to return to a reopened China this past April. As soon as it again became possible, I spent three weeks in 5 Chinese cities meeting nearly 75 friends and collaborators, most of them research alumni of our program. China Project economist Mun Ho made a quick trip of his own and we joined up in Beijing, holding meetings on ongoing and new projects and enjoying a dinner reunion with about 25 colleagues, some coming in from distant cities like Nanjing, Wuhan, and Xian to reconnect again. The trip took me also to Shanghai, where we held a smaller reunion, and to Hong Kong, Zhuhai, and Tianjin. We are proud of the active alumni research network our program has built in China and are thrilled to be able to meet face to face again.
One objective of the trip was to gauge the extent political tensions between the U.S. and China might impede collaborative research on climate and environment going forward. We were at least hopeful that the effects would not be severe, as our joint research productivity had remained strong throughout three years of pandemic, thanks in part to Zoom.
But meeting in person, the pent-up enthusiasm for not only continued but expanded research engagement was palpable, beyond our highest expectations. The sense in both China and the U.S. is that climate-related topics are a sweet spot for academic collaboration, comparatively insulated from concerns affecting some scholarly domains. As importantly, our colleagues share a belief that the world simply cannot afford for its two largest research communities on climate and environment to stop learning from each other and seeking new insights together. Within the China Project research community, disengagement seems not an option, and we instead look forward to another 30 years of collaborative partnership.
Chris P. Nielsen is the Executive Director of the Harvard-China Project. Michael B. McElroy, Gilbert Butler Professor of Environmental Studies, is the Faculty Chair.