China plans new science and technology university in Hunan amid increased rivalry with US

China is pushing forward with a plan to build a new science and technology university amid escalating tensions with the US and as Beijing pushes domestic excellence in core science and research.

The university, to be built in Liuyang city in the central province of Hunan, will “support development of higher education in the region,” according to a three-year plan published on the official website of the local provincial government.

Detailed plans for the school have yet to be finalised, according a report by state-owned media outlet Global Times, citing an official from the provincial educational department.

The move comes as China seeks to better compete with the US in core science and research amid increased economic rivalry and a battle for tech supremacy. Amid a raft of sanctions and US restrictions on leading Chinese technology companies, China has accelerated a drive to become more self-sufficient in some strategic sectors, such as semiconductor development.

In addition to telecoms giant Huawei Technologies, the Trump administration has added dozens of Chinese artificial intelligence companies and universities to its Entity List, which restricts exports of US origin technology.