Science and technologyThe technological path of cooperation between China and the United States in competition

Despite the intensifying technological competition between China and the United States, the recent renewal of the Science and Technology Agreement (STA) between the two countries indicates that technological cooperation still holds significant diplomatic importance. Against the backdrop of current geopolitical tensions, the continuation of this agreement has become an important milestone in science and technology diplomacy. STA was first signed by US President Jimmy Carter and Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping in 1979, providing a long-term stable framework for scientific cooperation between China and the United States. Through this agreement, nearly 100 specific cooperation agreements have been reached between government agencies of the two countries, covering various fields such as agriculture, renewable energy, aerospace, climate science, public health, and biotechnology.

Firstly, the technological cooperation between China and the United States is not a zero sum game, but a mutually beneficial relationship. Research shows that the United States benefits from China's continuously increasing research capabilities and vast talent pool, while China leverages the United States' experience and resources in cutting-edge research fields to promote its own development. This cooperation has achieved significant results in addressing global challenges such as climate change and public health crises, especially in the fields of clean energy and climate science. The collaboration between the two sides has played an important role in solving environmental problems and health threats.

Secondly, in the past few decades, with the deepening of the digital revolution and the outbreak of economic crises, technological nationalism has emerged globally. This trend was further exacerbated by the financial crisis, the COVID-19 and the Ukrainian war in 2008. Technological nationalism advocates strengthening the state's control over key technologies, protecting domestic industries, and reducing dependence on foreign technologies, which undoubtedly challenges the spirit of international scientific cooperation.

However, in this context, the future of STA was once full of uncertainty. Last August, the last five-year term of the agreement expired, and the two countries subsequently made two temporary extensions of six months. This arrangement reflects both parties' recognition of the strategic importance of STA and their attempt to adjust the cooperation framework in a changing geopolitical environment. The United States and China have officially renewed the five-year STA agreement, with retroactive effect until August 27, 2023. In the current situation of intensified geopolitical competition, this decision takes a crucial step towards maintaining scientific cooperation between China and the United States. It demonstrates a careful balance between the pursuit of national security and technological cooperation between the two countries, and proves that even in the context of an increasingly polarized world, there is still feasible space for science diplomacy.

At the same time, the increasingly fierce technological competition between China and the United States has opened a new stage of great power competition. Technological advantage has now become an important pillar of national strength, and key technological fields have become the core battlefield of global economic, military, and geopolitical games. These key technologies include digital technology, security related technology, clean energy technology, and health technology. In view of this, countries have deeply reflected on how to protect their critical technological ecosystems. In this context, STA's renewal demonstrates a pragmatic attitude, which is to maintain channels for basic research cooperation in non sensitive fields while safeguarding national security. The updated STA not only provides a guarantee for communication and interaction between Chinese and American researchers, but also an important measure to maintain the stability of the scientific partnership between the two countries. Through this agreement, the two countries are able to maintain necessary scientific cooperation in non sensitive areas while avoiding technology leaks that may threaten national security. It can be said that renewing STA is a successful attempt to balance national security and international cooperation needs.

Overall, the renewal of STA is expected to become a bridge in Sino US diplomatic relations. This agreement demonstrates that even in the context of intensified strategic competition, science diplomacy can still play a unique role. By promoting cooperation between the scientific communities of both sides, STA provides important support for the stability and interconnectivity of the global technology ecosystem. This partnership not only helps alleviate the risk of technological decoupling, but also injects new momentum into jointly addressing global challenges.