Data centre anger, bacon fight, Bill Gates’ AI warning: 7 US-China relations reads

In a new essay published in June, Bill Gates warned that cooperation between the United States and China is required to manage the unprecedented societal impacts of rapidly advancing artificial intelligence technology. The warning was among seven selected news stories covering US-China relations from the second half of August 2026, which also included the Pentagon ordering 30 US universities, including Harvard, MIT, and Johns Hopkins, to audit their China research ties, and China vowing to safeguard its interests after fresh US 'Economic D-Day' sanctions over Iran ties.

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 We have selected seven of the most interesting and important news stories covering US-China relations from the past few weeks. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing . 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. here https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3364485/harvard-mit-among-30-us-universities-ordered-audit-china-research-ties?module=inline&pgtype=article . 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. here https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3365111/us-sanctions-chinese-entities-issues-global-warning-economic-d-day-against-iran?module=inline&pgtype=article . 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.