Escalating geopolitical tensions have prompted the U.S. and China to sign an updated science and technology deal, which extends both nations' collaboration on only basic research for five years and introduces additional protections for researchers while retaining intellectual property guardrails, The Associated Press reports.
Such a new agreement, which does not cover critical and emerging tech development, "advances U.S. interests through newly established and strengthened provisions on transparency and data reciprocity," said the State Department. More stringent terms under the deal, which began in 1979 when China was still significantly less advanced than Western nations and was last renewed in 2018, would ensure its survival despite the ongoing tech war between the U.S. and China, according to Villanova University Assistant Professor of Political Science Deborah Seligsohn. The long-term research partnership between both nations was also noted by Rep. Gregory Meeks, D-N.Y., to have been beneficial to the U.S. and global community.
