China willing to ‘buy’ or ‘steal’ US tech to get ahead in AI race, Congress told
SCMP Tech / 4/17/2026
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Key Points
- The article reports that US lawmakers and experts accuse Beijing of trying to advance AI by buying or stealing US technology.
- It frames the claims within the broader US–China trade war and technology competition over AI capabilities.
- The headline assertion suggests that China may use both procurement and illicit acquisition to fill gaps in areas where it cannot match US progress directly.
- The piece reflects growing US political and expert scrutiny of cross-border technology transfer in the context of AI development.
At a congressional hearing on Capitol Hill on Thursday, lawmakers and experts accused China of buying “what they can” and stealing “what they cannot” in the global artificial intelligence (AI) race, while warning the United States’ immigration and research policies could be hindering innovation necessary to stay ahead.
“The pattern is clear. China is dependent on our tech stack to continue their AI development. China is willing to buy what they can, and steal what they cannot, to advance their...
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