The United States and China have agreed to extend a science and technology agreement for another six months, the State Department said on Thursday.
“The State Department, on behalf of the U.S. government, is negotiating to modify, expand, and strengthen protections within the U.S.-China Science and Technology Agreement (STA). In February 2024, the United States and China agreed to a short-term six-month extension of the U.S.-China STA.”
The spokesman added: “The short-term six-month extension will keep the agreement in force while we continue negotiations.”
U.S. officials say the STA provides consistent standards for scientific cooperation between the Chinese and U.S. governments.
While the agreement supports scientific cooperation in areas that benefit the United States, U.S. officials acknowledge the challenges posed by China’s national science and technology strategy and its domestic legal framework.
Critics, including U.S. lawmakers, point to China’s data restrictions and lack of transparency in sharing scientific findings. Washington is also concerned that Beijing will use shared research for military purposes.
The STA was originally signed in 1979 by then-US President Jimmy Carter and then-Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping.
The agreement has been renewed approximately every five years since it came into effect, with the most recent five-year extension occurring in 2018. The deal received a six-month extension last August as officials from both countries negotiated revisions and strengthened terms.
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