Tech Diplomacy Now: Romania and Israel Launch Trusted Tech Caucuses
The Krach Institute for Tech Diplomacy at Purdue is leading the formation of parliamentary working groups worldwide focused on the intersection of technology, business, and national security.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Tech Diplomacy Updates
Top News of the Week
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
The Romanian Parliament and Israeli Knesset Launch Trusted Tech Caucuses in Partnership with the Krach Institute for Tech Diplomacy at Purdue
Working with the Krach Institute, lawmakers from Romania and Israel formed Trusted Tech Caucuses in their legislatures. These cross-party working groups will collaborate to ensure their citizens, businesses, and national security interests benefit from transformational technological advances and are shielded from the weaponization of technology by authoritarian regimes and criminal actors. Each Trusted Tech Caucus will be integrated into a broader network of similar caucuses around the world. The announcements are part of the Krach Institute’s broader effort to build the Global Trusted Tech Network of governments, companies, organizations, and individuals committed to trusted technology.
Read the Romanian announcement.
Read the Israeli announcement.
Top News of the Week – The White House Issues an Executive Order on Domestic Critical Mineral Production
In an effort to reduce the United States’ dependence on the PRC for critical minerals, the White House released an Executive Order to reduce the regulatory burdens for domestic mining and mineral processing.
Key Points:
The Executive Order seeks to identify and accelerate mining projects, ease mineral production on federal land, mobilize public capital to fund mining and processing, and create a mechanism by the federal government to convene buyers to create long-term commercial viability.
The Department of Defense, Department of Commerce, the Development Finance Corporation, and EXIM Bank play critical roles.
According to the EO’s fact sheet, “The United States is 100% import-reliant on at least 15 critical minerals, and imports of nonfuel mineral commodities make up more than half of U.S. consumption.”
It remains to been seen whether these efforts to reduce permitting timelines and regulatory burdens will address the underlying problem that the PRC provides massive subsidies to this industry making these commodities artificially cheap. The PRC dominates these commodities because they sell them at a price no one else can compete with.
More on Background:
Executive Order: Immediate Measures to Increase American Mineral Production – The White House, March 20, 2025
Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Takes Immediate Action to Increase American Mineral Production – The White House, March 20, 2025
Four critical questions (and expert answers) about Trump’s new critical minerals executive order – Atlantic Council, March 21, 2025
Unpacking Trump’s New Critical Minerals Executive Order – CSIS, March 21, 2025
Why the U.S. Keeps Losing to China in the Battle Over Critical Minerals – WSJ, March 10, 2025
Latest News
China seeks stronger ties with Europe, it says in meeting with Portugal's foreign minister – Reuters, March 25, 2025
Negotiations on a Ukraine ceasefire enter third day in Saudi Arabia with renewed US-Ukraine talks – Associated Press, March 25, 2025
Trump Prompts European Calls for a Homegrown Nuclear Umbrella – WSJ, March 24, 2025
Trade War Explodes Across World at Pace Not Seen in Decades – WSJ, March 24, 2025
Technology Strategy and Policy
Waymo plans to bring its driverless taxis to Washington in 2026 – Associated Press, March 25, 2025
China equity issuance doubles as tech race draws back global investors – Reuters, March 24, 2025
Malaysia to crack down on Nvidia chip flows under US pressure – FT, March 24, 2025
Time to ditch US tech for homegrown options, says Dutch parliament – The Register, March 19, 2025
European tech industry coalition calls for ‘radical action’ on digital sovereignty — starting with buying local – TechCrunch, March 16, 2025
Understanding U.S. Allies’ Current Legal Authority to Implement AI and Semiconductor Export Controls – CSIS, March 14, 2025
Investigation: We tried to buy American chips as a Russian defense manufacturer — and it worked – Kyiv Independent, March 10, 2025
Artificial Intelligence
AI entrepreneur Lee Kai-fu bets his start-up’s future on DeepSeek and open source – SCMP, March 22, 2025
From Courtrooms to Crisis Lines, Chinese Officials Embrace DeepSeek – NYTs, March 18, 2025
I tried Manus: it's not the tech breakthrough you think it is – Baigun, March 18, 2025
‘Open source’ model: why France wants to work closely with China on AI – SCMP, March 11, 2025
Telecommunications Networks and Infrastructure
China unveils a powerful deep-sea cable cutter that could reset the world order – SCMP, March 22, 2024
Perplexity wants to buy TikTok and open-source its algorithm – The Verge, March 21, 2025
Countering the Digital Silk Road: Indonesia – CNAS, March 20, 2025
Juniper patches bug that let Chinese cyberspies backdoor routers – Bleeping Computer, March 13, 2025
Critical Minerals
How China Beat Out the U.S. to Become the Top Player in Rare-Earths Refining – WSJ, March 24, 2025
China’s rare earth dominance could crumble in 10 years, CAS study forecasts – SCMP, March 21, 2025
Switching off plants: Chinese copper smelters grapple with margin collapse – Reuters, March 20, 2025
China raises state funding for strategic minerals amid US trade war – FT, March 20, 2025
Pacific nation of Kiribati explores deep sea mining deal with China – Islands Business, March 19, 2025
Critical Minerals and Materials Geoeconomics: Lessons and Ideas from Past Wars and Strategic Competitions – Baker Institute, March 19, 2025
US finds $8.4 billion in rare earths sitting in coal ash landfills – Interesting Engineering, March 17, 2025
Synthetic Biology
AstraZeneza Commits Up to $11B+ to Chinese Collaborations, Beijing R&D Hub – GENEdge, March 21, 2025
New CRISPRs expand upon the original's abilities – Science Daily, March 13, 2025
Quantum
The Quantum Apocalypse Is Coming. Be Very Afraid – Wired, March 24, 2025
Quantum Computing Is Dead. Long Live Quantum Computing! – Wired, March 24, 2025
Quantum computing startup PsiQuantum raising at least $750 million, sources say – Reuters, March 24, 2025
Nvidia CEO says he was surprised that publicly held quantum firms exist – Seattle Times, March 24, 2025
Quantum computing stocks climb before Nvidia's first 'Quantum Day' – Yahoo Finance, March 17, 2025
China creates hacker-proof quantum satellite communication link with South Africa – SCMP, March 13, 2025
Advanced Aerospace Technology
Britons could make satellite calls using smartphones by end of 2025 – FT, March 25, 2025
How a Cheap Drone Punctured Chernobyl’s 40,000 Ton Shield – NYTs, March 25, 2025
Starlink Rival AST SpaceMobile Tips New Satellite Prototype – PC Mag, March 24, 2025
NRO expands spy satellite network with back-to-back SpaceX launches – Space News, March 24, 2025
Trump says Boeing will build the new generation of fighter jets, the F-47 – NPR, March 22, 2025
Semiconductors and Microelectronics
China's SiCarrier emerges as challenger to ASML, other chip tool titans – Nikkei Asia, March 24, 2025
Jack Ma-Backed Ant Touts AI Breakthrough Using Chinese Chips – Bloomberg, March 23, 2025
Energy and Climate
Ocean dumping – or a climate solution? A growing industry bets on the ocean to capture carbon – Associated Press, March 25, 2025
China's CATL, BYD targeted under U.S. battery decoupling bill – Nikkei Asia, March 18, 2025
Is it too late for Australia to shake China's grip on vanadium batteries? – Nikkei Asia, March 18, 2025
Opinion and Commentary
China’s Tech Triple Play Threatens U.S. National Security – Craig Singleton, Real Clear Defense, March 25, 2025
Funding for R&D isn’t a gift to academia – Senator Todd Young and Matt Pottinger, WaPo, March 24, 2025
America Will Lose If the EU and China Become Energy Buddies – David Fickling, Bloomberg, March 18, 2025
Tech Giants, Stop Trying to Build Godlike AI – Parmy Olson, Bloomberg, March 16, 2025
South Korea has acted decisively on DeepSeek. Other countries must stop hesitating – Hassan Gad, The Strategist, March 14, 2025
The Last Word
“It is imperative for our national security that the United States take immediate action to facilitate domestic mineral production to the maximum possible extent.”
– The White House Executive Order on domestic mineral production
About: Tech Diplomacy Now
The Krach Institute for Tech Diplomacy at Purdue is the world’s preeminent trusted technology accelerator. As the leader of the new category of Tech Diplomacy, the Institute integrates technology expertise, Silicon Valley strategies, and foreign policy tools to build the Global Trusted Tech Network of governments, companies, organizations and individuals to accelerate the innovation and adoption of trusted technology and ensure technology advances freedom.