The US and China have a science and technology agreement. This agreement helps them work together in many areas like health, space, and energy. The agreement was first made in 1979. Since then, it has been renewed every five years. The last time it was renewed was in 2018, and it was also extended for six more months in August 2020.
However, the agreement was not renewed again in February 2021. There are now talks about changing and making the agreement stronger.
Experts say that if the agreement is not renewed, trust between the two countries can be damaged. They think this could harm the work they do together. Denis Simon, an expert at the Institute for China-America Studies, believes that both countries want to keep the agreement. He says that the agreement gives people confidence. Without it, the partnership could suffer.
Even though there is no update now, Sourabh Gupta, another expert, says that he is hopeful. He thinks that the agreement has been quietly renewed while talks are still happening. Caroline Wagner, a professor at Ohio State University, agrees and also hopes for a new agreement.
