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The US-China Science and Technology Agreement, a long-running international pact that promotes collaborative research between China and the US, is facing calls for an end from a group of US lawmakers. The agreement has been in place since the late 1970s and has been regularly renewed, but now Congressman Mike Gallagher and other Republican House members are urging for its expiration, citing concerns that research partnerships organized under the pact could be used against the US.

However, a report from The Wall Street Journal reveals that the US may suffer the most if the collaborative research program is suspended. Analysis of data shows that 40% of America’s scientific research is the result of international cooperation, with China being the US’s top collaborator in scientific research. The US is more reliant on China than China is on the US in certain strategic areas of shared research. For example, between 2017 and 2021, collaborations with China accounted for 27% of US-based scientists’ high-quality research in nanoscience, compared to 13% for China-based scientists. In the field of telecommunications research, collaborations accounted for 10% of China’s output and over 33% of the US’s.

Caroline Wagner, a professor of public policy at Ohio State University, points out that this data reflects China’s growing strength in domestic scientific research. Chinese researchers have surpassed their US counterparts in the share of highly-cited papers, demonstrating China’s increasing influence in the scientific world.

China’s rise in economic power is also evident. It has become the primary engine of global economic growth, surpassing the US as the home to the largest share of Fortune 500 companies. China is expected to overtake the US as the world’s largest economy within a decade.

Calls for a change in thinking and approach towards China have been growing, with the need for new strategies to compete and address China’s economic and political influence. Former Utah Governor Jon Huntsman Jr. emphasizes the importance of new thinking and a revision of the US approach to China, proposing that places like Utah could be at the forefront of these changes.

In conclusion, while concerns about intellectual property theft persist, the US-China Science and Technology Agreement has brought significant benefits through research collaborations. The US may face negative consequences if the agreement is terminated, as it heavily relies on China in certain areas of shared research. This comes at a time when China’s scientific research and economic power are rapidly growing.

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