Tech Diplomacy Now: ‘New Frontiers’ for the ROK-US relationship in technology
The intersection of technology, foreign policy, and the news you need to know
Welcome to Tech Diplomacy Now, a publication of the Krach Institute for Tech Diplomacy at Purdue, providing you with critical information and global news on the intersection of emerging technologies, foreign policy, and national security.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Top News of the Week
Announcements
Latest News
Technology Strategy and Policy
Artificial Intelligence
Telecommunications Networks and Infrastructure
Critical Minerals
Synthetic Biology
Quantum
Advanced Aerospace Technology
Semiconductors and Microelectronics
Energy and Climate
Opinion and Commentary
The Last Word
Top News of the Week – New Frontiers’ for the ROK-US relationship in technology
During the South Korean state visit last week, Presidents Yoon Suk Yeol and Joe Biden unveiled several agreements in this fifth meeting between the two leaders in less than a year. The ‘Washington Declaration’, which clarifies the U.S. extended deterrence commitment to South Korea and strengthens Seoul’s nuclear nonproliferation obligations, received the most attention.
But their agreements on new frontier technology collaboration deserve attention as well. South Korea and the United States will pursue cooperation in biotechnology, artificial intelligence, quantum information science, space, and telecommunications technology. Both countries will also pursue efforts to coordinate advanced manufacturing and seek to align investment screening mechanisms in both countries.
And of course, who could forget President Yoon’s stirring rendition of American Pie during the White House state dinner.
Background reading:
An Assessment of President Yoon’s State Visit to the White House – CSIS, May 1, 2023
Joint Statement of the United States of America and Republic of Korea on Cooperation in Quantum Information Science and Technologies – U.S. State Department, April 26, 2023
United States and South Korea agree to enhance space cooperation – SpaceNews, April 26, 2023
China lodges serious representations with South Korea over joint statement with U.S. – Reuters, April 27, 2023
Announcements
Join The Krach Institute for Tech Diplomacy at Purdue on Thursday, May 11 at 2 p.m. ET for an exclusive conversation between Purdue University President, Mung Chiang, and Keith Krach, chairman and co-founder of the Krach Institute and former U.S. Under Secretary of State.
This engaging discussion will explore the relationship critical and emerging technologies share in securing freedom as the Krach Institute and Purdue University continue to expand their role at the forefront of technologies critical to American foreign policy. Topics include: 5G, artificial intelligence, advanced manufacturing, semiconductors, clean energy, biotech, digital currency, autonomous vehicles, space, hypersonics, and quantum computing.
Click the registration link HERE to register and join the livestream.
Purdue University and the Krach Institute for Tech Diplomacy at Purdue warmly welcomed the imec ecosystem to the home of America’s top four engineering and top five patent-receiving university. The imec partnership, a first-of-its-kind agreement with the cutting-edge European nano- and digital technology innovation hub, will further enable Purdue to strengthen the relevance of its research in the semiconductor industry.
“Today we mark a milestone for semiconductor collaboration between the U.S. and Europe by forming the R&D partnership with imec – the best example of successful collaboration across universities, companies and the government.” - Mung Chiang, President, Purdue University
Read the full press release HERE.
Latest News
‘The Godfather of A.I.’ Leaves Google and Warns of Danger Ahead – NYTs, May 1, 2023
Chinese Authorities Question Bain Staff in Shanghai – WSJ, April 27, 2023
China vows to retaliate if US continues case against police officers accused of targeting dissidents in America– SCMP, April 27, 2023
Technology Strategy and Policy
G-7 science ministers to push for research funding transparency – Nikkei Asia, April 28, 2023
The existential threat to Aukus: choking on US red tape – SCMP, April 17, 2023
China Locks Information on the Country Inside a Black Box – WSJ, April 30, 2023
Japan’s Role and Strategy in the Formation of Digital Trade Rules in the Indo-Pacific – National Bureau of Asia Research, January 10, 2023
Artificial Intelligence
Exploring opportunities in the generative AI value chain – McKinsey, April 26, 2023
Behind EU lawmakers' challenge to rein in ChatGPT and generative AI – Reuters, April 29, 2023
Artificial intelligence is another reason for a new digital agency – Brookings, April 28, 2023
The EU and U.S. diverge on AI regulation: A transatlantic comparison and steps to alignment – Brookings, April 25, 2023
Despite this broad conceptual alignment, there are far more areas of divergence [between the U.S. and the EU] than convergence in AI risk management.
Telecommunications Networks and Infrastructure
Hagerty Leads Colleagues in Urging Biden Administration to Sanction Huawei Cloud and Other PRC Cloud Computing Services – Office of Senator Bill Hagerty, April 25, 2023
Shaky Signal: Qualcomm is optimistic about its China business. Should it be? – The Wire China, April 30, 2023
Carmakers raise concerns at Chinese dominance over connectivity patents – FT, April 29, 2023
Led by Huawei, Chinese groups are filing patents around the tech that enables products to access the internet.
In the era of internet-connected vehicles, Europe’s carmakers are embroiled in intellectual property battles with some of the region’s biggest telecoms groups. Looming behind those conflicts is fear about the rising dominance of China.
Critical Minerals
Indonesia wants to sell nickel to the US, but first it should scrap its export bans – PIIE, April 26, 2023
Russia Faces Serious Problems in Helping China Corner Rare Earth Mineral Market – Eurasia Daily Monitor, April 27, 2023
Synthetic Biology
Synthetic Morphology Lets Scientists Create New Life-Forms – Scientific American, May 1, 2023
Scientists Create Cyborg Bacteria – Scientific American, May 1, 2023
UK and Europe are falling behind US and China in biotech, says AstraZeneca boss – The Guardian, April 27, 2023
The boss of Britain’s biggest drugmaker has said that the UK and the rest of Europe are falling behind China and the US in the creation of biotech firms and clinical trials of new medicines.
Quantum
Quantum technology sees record investments, progress on talent gap – McKinsey Digital, April 24, 2023
Michio Kaku on the new world of quantum computing – The Spectator, April 29, 2023
Advanced Aerospace Technology
SpaceX’s successful failure is a wake-up call for Starship’s timeline – TechCrunch, April 21, 2023
China seeking Dutch space technology - military intelligence agency – Reuters, April 19, 2023
China's hypersonic research to get boost from satellite startup – Space.com, May 1, 2023
Semiconductors and Microelectronics
Japan to give chipmaker Rapidus nearly $2bn more in aid – Nikkei Asia, April 26, 2023
ASML, Europe’s Most Valuable Tech Firm, Is at the Heart of the US-China Chip War – Bloomberg, April 26, 2023
Germany in Talks to Limit Export of Chip Chemicals to China – Bloomberg, April 27, 2023
Energy and Climate
Electric Vehicle Boom May Force China to Burn More Dirty Coal – Bloomberg, April 20, 2023
Inside Germany’s power struggle over nuclear energy – MIT Technology Review, April 27, 2023
Opinion and Commentary
Neoliberalism’s Final Stronghold – J. Bradford Delong, Project Syndicate, April 27, 2023
Forget Macron, Europe and the U.S. See Eye-to-Eye on China’s Threat – Greg Ip, WSJ, April 19, 2023
Silence gets you nowhere in a data breach – Carly Page, TechCrunch, March 29, 2023
The Last Word
About: Tech Diplomacy Now
Technology is the crossroads and main battlefield of the four-dimensional diplomatic, economic, cultural and military contest between freedom and authoritarianism.
We believe technology must advance freedom.
The nonpartisan Krach Institute for Tech Diplomacy at Purdue is focused on securing freedom by accelerating the innovation and adoption of trusted technology.
The Institute is the preeminent global authority on Tech Diplomacy, integrating tech expertise, Silicon Valley strategies, and foreign policy tools to build the Global Tech Trust Network of governments, companies and individuals united around a set of shared trust principles and a common mission to ensure that technology advances freedom
We hope you find Tech Diplomacy Now a valuable resource on the emerging critical issue of technological diplomacy and its impact on our way of life.