Denis Simon is one of the leading experts on US-China science and technology cooperation as well as China’s innovation system. He has held senior roles including executive vice-chancellor at Duke Kunshan University and director of the US-China programme at Pennsylvania State University.
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Can you explain the core elements of the STA and its role in fostering scientific collaboration between the US and China? Why is it considered a cornerstone of bilateral relations, and what makes it so politically and strategically sensitive, especially in today’s geopolitical climate?
The US-China Science and Technology Cooperation Agreement (STA), first signed in 1979 during the [Jimmy] Carter administration, is the foundational legal and diplomatic framework governing official S&T cooperation between the two nations. Its core elements include government-to-government cooperation via ministries, agencies, and labs; institutional and academic exchanges, supporting researcher mobility and joint projects; joint working groups on specific fields like health, agriculture, energy and environmental science; and mechanisms for sharing data, coordinating funding and protecting intellectual property.
It is considered a cornerstone of bilateral relations because of its highly symbolic value as the first formal and peaceful engagement between the US and China after normalisation. At a time when diplomatic ties were still fragile, scientific cooperation provided politically “safe” ground to build trust. Its overall impact has been immense – it made science diplomacy real.
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In the current geopolitical climate, the STA sits at the intersection of national security concerns (e.g., espionage, IP theft, cybersecurity), economic competitiveness (particularly in AI, life sciences, semiconductors) and techno-nationalism (growing on both sides). The very openness that once made the STA a success is now seen by some as a vulnerability. Current discussions of the STA evoke debates not just about science but about how much the US should engage with a so-called strategic competitor.
During a delegation visit to Beijing in the mid-2000s, I was part of a round table where a US scientist shared breakthrough research in clean coal technology. The Chinese side responded with enthusiastic interest, proposing a joint pilot project. The US delegation, however, hesitated – concerned that the technology might be commercialised without reciprocal IP protection. The moment highlighted both the promise and peril of STA-enabled openness. Fortunately, an agreement called CERC (Clean Energy Research Centre) was signed and it contained a detailed addendum regarding the disposition of any new intellectual capital developed under the programme.
