US losing ground to China with ‘onslaught’ on cutting-edge research: Nobel laureate

South China Morning PostCenter-RightEN 1 min read 100% complete by Kandy WongJanuary 21, 2026 at 02:00 PM

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Nobel laureate Joel Mokyr warns that the US risks falling behind China in technological advancement due to current policies under the Trump administration. Mokyr states that US cutting-edge scientific research is "suffering" due to what he calls a "wholesale onslaught" on research programs. He highlighted the suspension or cancellation of over 7,800 research grants last year, as well as proposals to suspend universities from federal research partnerships. Mokyr suggests the US approach mirrors that of other populist regimes, while China avoids this "trap." He believes this could give China an advantage in strategic emerging industries as it seeks to surpass the US.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Turkey 30% Hungary 30% Nature 40% Harvard University 40% Yale University 40% University of Hong Kong 50% US State Department 50% Washington ×260% Donald Trump 70% China ×380% United States ×580% Joel Mokyr ×390%

Keywords

scientific research 100% technology race 80% china 70% innovation 70% us 70% cutting-edge research 60% research grants 60% emerging industries 50% academic institutions 50% populist regimes 40%

Sentiment Analysis

Very Negative

Score: -0.60

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South China Morning Post

Political Lean

Center-Right (0.50)

Far LeftCenterFar Right

Classification Confidence

90%

This article was automatically classified using rule-based analysis. The political bias score ranges from -1 (far left) to +1 (far right).

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