The overarching question imparting urgency to this exploration is: Can U.S.-Russian contention in cyberspace cause the two nuclear superpowers to stumble into war? In considering this question we were constantly reminded of recent comments by a prominent U.S. arms control expert: At least as dangerous as the risk of an actual cyberattack, he observed, is cyber operations’ “blurring of the line between peace and war.” Or, as Nye wrote, “in the cyber realm, the difference between a weapon and a non-weapon may come down to a single line of code, or simply the intent of a computer program’s user.”
Based on the case study of the policymaking in the National High Technology Research and Development Program (863 Program), one of the most important R&D programs in China, RU Peng will discuss the history of scientists' participation in Chinese Science and Technology (S&T) policymaking after 1978. He will address the following questions: What kind of roles have scientists played in policymaking? What are the determinants of scientists' influence in the policy process? And what are the reasons for the change of scientists' role in the making of S&T policies in recent years?
Please join us! Coffee and tea provided. Everyone is welcome, but admittance will be on a first come-first served basis.