While China and the U.S. are in trouble politically, the scientists from the two countries are having extensive collaboration to fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a recent study on coronavirus-related papers.

The study, published on PLOS ONE on July 23, says China and the U.S. are not only "at the center of the global network" of coronavirus researches but also "strengthened their bilateral research relationship" during the pandemic.

In numbers, the two countries produced "more than 4.9 percent" of all papers together, an increase from 3.6 percent before the COVID-19, according to the study.

If the study reflected the reality, the virus scientists from the world's largest two economies have taken a different path from the politicians.

To illustrate the significance of the change in research quantity, the study provided two pictures showing a network of international collaboration pre- and during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In the discussion sector, the authors of the study expressed the view that scientific study has become "increasingly a team activity" around the world in the past two decades.

This may sound like great news, but the authors also pointed out a possible downside of international research: cost. To engage in cross-border study, a team have to pay extra cost for communication and traffic. This may sound less important during a global emergency like the COVID-19 pandemic, but it's worth considering during normal days.

The paper also pointed out a trend that scientists like to engage international study in smaller teams for a faster pace. The authors warned policymakers to "address these inequities" in a "very near term."