As trade tensions between the United States and China worsen, a new technological cold war looms, casting its shadow over American universities and research institutions. How should individual scientists of Chinese origin decide whether to accept a lucrative position in their country of birth? Is there an inherent conflict between science as a global enterprise, and scientific research being primarily government-funded? How should the international community engage China and Chinese scientists, without compromising academic freedom or increasing the risk of technological abuse and industrial espionage?