The issue focused on the study of Russian medical technology, which had been given to China in an earlier research project.

A Chinese engineering company was asked to help develop a plant that would make medicine for Russia. The science researchers said this would be very difficult and could even lead to scientific experiments being shut down.

'It is about telling us who we are as scientists,' explained Zhonghe Lin, one of the researchers. 'We have no right to start studies with our own findings or commercial products