Data centre anger, bacon fight, Bill Gates’ AI warning: 7 US-China relations reads
From Ivy League China audits to Trump’s ‘Economic D-Day’, highlights from our overseas correspondents in the second half of August 2026
1. Harvard, MIT among 30 US universities ordered to audit China research ties
Harvard University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Johns Hopkins University were among 30 American institutions ordered to audit their foreign research relationships, according to US officials, as higher education representatives accused the Pentagon of implying wrongdoing without publicly presenting evidence.
2. China vows to safeguard interests after ‘Economic D-Day’ sanctions over Iran ties
Beijing condemned fresh US “Economic D-Day” sanctions imposed on mainland Chinese and Hong Kong entities over their ties to Iran, pledging “all necessary measures” to protect its interests.
3. Bill Gates warns of AI’s impact, urges the US and China to cooperate
Cooperation between the United States and China is required to manage the unprecedented societal impacts of rapidly advancing artificial intelligence technology, Bill Gates wrote in a new essay published in June.