Increase Tech Spending, Standards Body Focus, Experts Advise US Review Commission

The U.S. shouldn't address U.S. and Chinese trade tensions through decoupling, experts told the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission. Instead, they recommended investing more heavily in technology research while pursuing more involvement at international standards bodies. “We need to accept that this is going to go on for the long term,” said David Finkelstein, director of the China and Indo-Pacific security affairs division at CNA, a nonprofit research group. “It's just not enough to [only] confront. We have to be positioned to compete.” The panel is preparing a report on U.S.-China competition to present to Congress in November. Kristine Lee, U.S.-China relations expert at the Center for a New American Security, said “there are a number of important elections coming up” for international bodies. The Commerce Department recently issued a rule to allow U.S. companies to more easily participate in standards setting bodies in which Huawei is a member (see 2006170031). Others advocated Wednesday for more technology investment, especially as China continues to pursue advancements in 5G and artificial intelligence. “Let's put some money into experimental, high-quality AI network-driven infrastructure,” said Barry Naughton, chair of Chinese international affairs at the University of California-San Diego. The White House didn't comment Thursday,