U.S.-China Science and Technology Agreement: Outlook for S&T Competition and Cooperation

On July 1, 2025, the Institute for China-America Studies (ICAS) hosted a virtual public event titled “The Future of U.S.-China Scientific Engagement after the STA Renewal.” Moderated by Sourabh Gupta, Senior Fellow and Head of ICAS’ Trade ’n Technology program, the panel featured distinguished experts Mr. Kei Koizumi (former Special Assistant to the President, Office of Science and Technology Policy), Dr. Caroline Wagner (Professor, John Glenn College of Public Affairs, Ohio State University), Dr. William Hannas (Lead Analyst, Center for Security and Emerging Technology, Georgetown University), and Dr. Denis Simon (President, Alliance of Global Talent Organizations). The panelists examined the evolving landscape of U.S.-China scientific cooperation in light of the 2024 renewal of the bilateral Science and Technology Agreement (STA). They discussed how the revised agreement—narrowed in scope to focus on basic research while excluding sensitive fields like AI, semiconductors, and quantum—reflects growing national security concerns in Washington. Panelists also analyzed the chilling effect of tightened export controls, reduced academic exchange, and the prospect of more restrictive measures under the returning Trump administration, warning of a progressively fragmented global science ecosystem shaped by geopolitical rivalry.