Staff Reports
The Biden administration is trying to pull a fast one by negotiating the renewal of a nearly 45-year-old science and technology agreement with Communist China. This is the same agreement that numerous congressional Republicans believe should be sent packing for good, given its contributions to China’s military expansion and the ongoing threat it poses to American security. The 1979 U.S.-China Science and Technology Agreement expired on August 27 after being extended for six more months. Still, now both governments are apparently back at the negotiating table, discussing terms and conditions that taxpayers might not want to hear about.
A State Department official claims this effort to renew the agreement is meant to “advance and protect” U.S. interests in science and technology. However, it’s hard to see how putting more resources in the hands of a regime renowned for spying, coercion, and weaponizing knowledge is in any way beneficial. It’s like inviting the wolf back into the henhouse while insisting it’s on a vegetarian diet this time. Sensible Republicans are increasingly vocal, arguing that this is not just a reckless gambit but one that actively undermines the citizens it claims to protect.
EXCLUSIVE: Biden administration quietly seeks to renew expired tech agreement with Chinahttps://t.co/Ui1GZbtJRD pic.twitter.com/qL2s74arXi
— The Washington Times (@WashTimes) October 11, 2024
The initial agreement was formed in a vastly different era when China was still trying to figure out how to be a global player. Now, that same agreement is enabling a military buildup that puts American lives at risk, and yet, some circles still see this as a useful paradigm for international diplomacy. Critics point out that previous versions of the agreement have facilitated China’s astonishing capability to steal U.S. technology while also allowing for dubious research practices that some believe played a role in the COVID-19 pandemic. Who needs enemies when you have friends handing over your secrets?
Republican lawmakers are laying down the law, pushing through legislation to increase congressional oversight on any future science and technology agreements. The House was recently seen approving a bill to ensure that no sneaky extensions happen without proper scrutiny. Nothing says “national security” like a bunch of elected officials making sure the administration isn’t giving our hard-earned knowledge to a regime that routinely violates human rights and operates with a penchant for espionage. The consensus is that no deal should be struck unless there are rigorous checks in place, a reasonable demand given the circumstances.
Meanwhile, some are still clinging to the fantasy that cooperation with Beijing is the key to global progress. While democracy is on the ropes, and America’s security interests are compromised, there are voices advocating that a partnership with the Chinese government—yes, that Chinese government—is still a good idea. Let’s be clear: this isn’t just an academic exercise or a chance to share lab coats. It’s a potential aid in bolstering a military that openly targets the U.S. and its allies. It would seem that for some, bipartisan naivety and hopes of winning friends through science are more important than the obvious implications for national security.
As the Biden administration continues to pursue warm diplomacy with a country whose actions and ethics are anything but warm, conservatives maintain that safeguards are imperative to prevent American ingenuity from fueling tyranny abroad. In the world of geopolitics, it looks increasingly like the real “science” to be studied is how to avoid losing to a regime that openly aims to undermine American interests. In the battle of wits with Beijing, it seems the survival of U.S. national security is at stake—a game that certainly requires more caution than an old-school science fair agreement.
