Securing the Edge: America's Technology Long Game for Competing with China

Name: Securing the Edge: America's Technology Long Game for Competing with China
Start: 2026-01-28T15:30:00
End: 2026-01-28T17:30:00
Location: Center for Strategic and International Studies

January 28, 2026 • 10:30 am – 12:30 pm EST

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Economic Security and Technology

The United States is in a high-stakes technology competition with China that will shape the future of economic power, national security, and global leadership. While the U.S. continues to lead in industries such as AI and aerospace, it faces growing pressure in sectors where China’s use of industrial policies, patient capital, and its massive scale have begun to tip the balance. Meeting this moment requires a new strategy—one focused on developing dynamic innovation ecosystems, sustaining long-term actions, and cultivating trusted international partnerships.

In this special event, Senators Maria Cantwell (D-WA) and Todd Young (R-IN) join CSIS for a fireside conversation on the future of U.S. technology leadership. The discussion will explore bipartisan priorities for securing critical supply chains, modernizing America’s industrial base, and accelerating both R&D and technology commercialization.

Tech Edge: A Living Playbook for America’s Technology Long Game

Report by Navin Girishankar, Mark P. Dallas, Sree Ramaswamy, Scott Kennedy, Philip Luck, Joseph Majkut, Ilaria Mazzocco, Erin L. Murphy, Matt Pearl, Richard M. Rossow, Sujai Shivakumar, Chris Borges, Ray Cai, and Ryan Featherston — January 20, 2026

The event also marks the launch of the Tech Edge Report—a flagship publication from CSIS’s Economic Security and Technology Department. The report introduces a new framework for assessing U.S. and Chinese technology ecosystems and kicks-off a multi-year research effort to inform and shape policy on the drivers of long-term advantage in the U.S.-China technology competition. It makes the case that "technological dexterity"—the ability to build strengths across different technology types—must be a strategic priority for the United States, and offers a living playbook for America's technology game based on three strategies: playing all the keys, achieving speed and scale, and defending its networks of innovators, workers, and trading partners.

This event is made possible through general support to CSIS.

Agenda

Opening Remarks

10:30 am

Dr. John J. Hamre, CSIS President and CEO, and Langone Chair in American Leadership

Fireside Chat: America's Technology Long Game for Competing with China

10:35 am

Navin Girishankar, President, CSIS Economic Security & Technology Department

Sen. Maria Cantwell, Ranking Member, U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation

Sen. Todd Young, Member, U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation

Panel Discussion: Securing America's Technology Edge

11:15 am

CSIS experts examine the key takeaways and insights from the Tech Edge report, the flagship publication from CSIS’s Economic Security and Technology Department.

Navin Girishankar, President, CSIS Economic Security & Technology Department

Mark P. Dallas, Senior Associate (Non-resident), CSIS Economic Security and Technology Department

Sree Ramaswamy, Senior Technical Expert (Non-resident), CSIS Economic Security and Technology Department

Panel Discussion: Assessing the U.S.-China Tech Competition

11:45 am

CSIS experts diving into the current state of U.S.-China technology competition, as well as the roll of key U.S. partners and allies such as India and the European Union

Navin Girishankar, President, CSIS Economic Security & Technology Department

Scott Kennedy, Senior Adviser and Trustee Chair in Chinese Business and Economics

Joseph Majkut, Director, CSIS Energy Security and Climate Change Program

Matt Pearl, Director, CSIS Strategic Technologies Program

Richard M. Rossow, Senior Adviser and Chair on India and Emerging Asia Economics