Pundits, journalists, and think tanks have spent years warning about the dangers of academic collaboration with China. Their admonitions often include hand-wringing about Chinese students and scholars stealing American secrets and know-how, at times flirting with racist tropes in the process. However, the bipartisan rush to condemn perceived Chinese threats too often ignores the enormous benefits that American institutions of higher education glean from collaboration and cooperation with their Chinese counterparts. Scientists at American institutions of higher learning choose research partners not in response to covert operations from a hostile foreign power but based on the prospects for advancement and discovery. Often that means working with partners at Chinese universities. China is one of the world’s leaders in scientific publications because it has invested heavily in higher education and research and development. Cutting off collaboration with these partners wholesale rathe