On December 13, 2024, the United States and the People's Republic of China (PRC) signed a protocol to amend and extend the U.S.-PRC Science and Technology Agreement (STA) for five years. The agreement provides consistent standards for bilateral government-to-government scientific cooperation between the two nations.
According to the Office of the Spokesperson, "This modernized and strengthened Agreement sustains intellectual property protections, establishes new guardrails for implementing agencies to protect the safety and security of their researchers, and advances U.S. interests through newly established and strengthened provisions on transparency and data reciprocity."
The amended agreement is designed to ensure that any federal science and technology cooperation with the PRC under the STA benefits the United States while minimizing risks to national security. It covers only basic research and does not facilitate the development of critical and emerging technologies.
The modernized STA represents a strategic approach by the United States in managing competition with China. The agreement was reached after extensive consultations across various branches of the U.S. Government and months of negotiation between both countries.
For further information, inquiries can be directed to OES-Press@state.gov.
