The original is as follows:
Huawei funds American universities for basic research, and the research results will benefit the public and will not pose a threat to the United States.
Huawei Chairman of the Board Xu Zhijun
Not long ago, several US congressmen severely criticized Huawei and asked the US Secretary of Education to investigate whether the basic research cooperation projects between Huawei and American universities would pose a threat to US national security. I think these behaviors show their ignorance of science. In an interview with the media recently, I mentioned that these criticisms are 'ignorant'.
I don't want to carry out personal attacks. On the contrary, I just want to emphasize the importance of academic freedom. Academic freedom is the basic attribute of modern universities, the cornerstone of all scientific and technological progress, and helps to train the next generation of scientific research talents.
Academic freedom is the cornerstone of higher education. It is precisely because American universities can maintain academic freedom, free from political and external factors, and absorb the world's best talents to study and study in the United States, which has made the United States a global technology leader.
I am a Ph.D. student who has worked in basic research. According to the definition of the National Science Foundation, 'basic research' refers to 'activities that are focused on acquiring new knowledge or ideas, but not considering specific processes or product applications'.
The company's R&D activities focus on business applications, while universities focus on applications such as mathematics, algorithms, and materials science that are unlikely to generate revenue. Even if a research project ultimately generates returns, it may take decades from theoretical research to commercialization. time.
The cooperation between universities and enterprises can effectively shorten this process. The exchange of knowledge and resources between enterprises, academia and research institutions (also known as 'knowledge transfer') has become a key driving force for technological progress.
However, over the past decade, the federal government's funding for university research projects has continued to decline, and today accounts for less than 50% of the university's total research funding.
Most of the remaining funds come from sponsorships provided by companies such as Huawei. Huawei's research funding to US universities is relatively limited, about $10 million last year. But the support we provide is exactly what universities need, including funding, venues, and lab equipment. We also support. At the same time, we also create a wealth of training and practical opportunities for postgraduate students and college students. When providing these support, we do not expect to receive direct commercial returns.
Huawei has funded American universities to conduct basic research. The results of the research will benefit the public and will not pose a threat to the United States as the outside criticism has said.
The research results of our university and the university are published in public by professors, doctors and graduate students.
In 2017, Huawei invested US$13.8 billion in research and development. In the past ten years, Huawei’s global R&D investment totaled more than US$60 billion. Huawei has licensed nearly 80,000 patents in various countries around the world, including nearly 10,000 patents granted in the United States. Many are also basic patents in the telecommunications industry, which is also a contribution to the development of the digital economy.
It is a difficult and long process for any basic research project to benefit the society. It requires the close cooperation between the university and the enterprise. It requires countless scientists. The engineers have been working hard for a long time. Their efforts and contributions should be respected, not arbitrarily accused.
An open political leader should be committed to maintaining the academic freedom of American universities in order to advance the technological advancement of the United States. At the same time, political leaders must have the same deep insight, curiosity and truth-seeking spirit as the world's leading scientists.