Technology Hawks, National Security and the U.S. StrategicCompetition against China，Journal of International Security Studies，No.1，2025，PP.115-132

[Abstract] Against the backdrop of the technological revolution and geopoliticalconfrontations overlapping each other, the technological factors shaping internationalrelations, especially those among major powers, have become more prominent. Thelink between the technological community and national security strategy-making hasbecome increasingly relevant. In recent years, the U.S. has been intensifying its“technological cold war” against China, paralleling its increasing pressure on Chinaacross the political, economic, military ideological and global governance spectrums.The U.S. technology enterprises, venture capital institutions and other social forceswork closely with the U.S. national security agencies, gradually giving birth to a groupof technology hawks including elites in the business, political and academic circleswho believe that the U.S. needs to firmly defend its technological leadership,accelerate the decoupling process, and curb China's technological development. Inorder to outcompete China in the tech race, the U.S. government has expedited the development of a national security innovation network. As a result, the cooperationbetween high-tech enterprises and government agencies like the Department of Defense (DoD), the Department of State (DoS), and the Central Intelligence Agency(CIA) has deepened, making the national security orientation of the U.S. innovationecosystem more prominent. Advancing the technology competition with China has become the consensus of the U.S. Republican and Democratic parties. Consideringthe support of the U.S. technological elites for Donald Trump, the technologicalpressure placed on China may be further strengthened, and technology hawks will exert more influence upon U.S.-China relations in the second Trump presidency.

[Keywords] technology hawks, national security, U.S.-China relations, technology-security complex, national innovation ecosystem

[Author] ZHAO Minghao, Deputy Director and Professor, Center for AmericanStudies and Institute for the BRI and Global Governance at Fudan University(Shanghai, 220433).