US updates a science and technology pact with China to reflect growing rivalry and security threats

Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. has updated a decades-old science and technology agreement with China to reflect their growing rivalry for technological dominance. It now has a narrower scope and additional safeguards to minimize the risk to national security. The new agreement was signed Friday after many months of negotiations. The State Department says the agreement has a data reciprocity clause, wording on research safety and provisions for resolving disputes. The agreement covers only basic research and does not facilitate the development of critical and emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence and quantum computing, which are considered crucial to economic dominance and military supremacy.