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Armenia and the United States Sign Strategic Partnership Charter

WASHINGTON, DC — Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken participated in a signing ceremony for the Strategic Partnership Charter at the Department of State in Washington, DC, on Tuesday.
“We are creating a Strategic Partnership Commission, which involves expanding cooperation in the areas of economy, security and defense, democracy, inclusiveness, and people-to-people relations,” Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced.
Additionally, Secretary Blinken stated that efforts are underway with Armenia to strengthen the protection of sovereignty and territorial integrity. He also announced that a special U.S. border security team will arrive in Armenia next week to conduct joint border security work.

Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan highlighted the significance of the agreement, stating, “The Strategic Partnership Charter provides a robust framework and injects greater ambition into our cooperation.” The Charter spans various areas, including:
-Strengthening economic and energy ties
-Enhancing connectivity
-Deepening defense and security cooperation
-Reinforcing democratic institutions
-Promoting justice and the rule of law
-Fostering innovation and high technologies
-Enhancing people-to-people contacts

“Our relations, based on shared values and mutual interests, have witnessed remarkable growth in recent years. They have matured to a point where upgrading them to a strategic partnership is not only fitting but essential for navigating the complex geopolitical landscape,” Minister Mirzoyan stated.
Minister Mirzoyan expressed gratitude for the United States’ unwavering support for Armenia’s independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity. He also emphasized the importance of U.S. assistance in strengthening Armenia’s democratic institutions and promoting economic resilience.
“We appreciate the U.S.’s engagement in promoting a durable and lasting peace in the South Caucasus region. We believe that a stable and prosperous South Caucasus is in the interest of all regional actors and the broader international community. Armenia remains committed to a peace agenda and its implementation and to working closely with the U.S. to achieve this shared objective,” the Foreign Minister said.
Minister Mirzoyan announced Armenia’s intention to join the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS, underscoring Armenia’s dedication to combating international terrorism. “We believe that collective action is essential in addressing this threat,” he noted.
He also revealed plans to commence negotiations on a nuclear cooperation agreement with the U.S., commonly known as the 123 Agreement. This framework will facilitate collaboration on the peaceful use of nuclear energy and reaffirm Armenia’s commitment to safety, security, and non-proliferation standards.
“Looking ahead, we are eager to continue working with the U.S. to fulfill the ambitious goals outlined in our Strategic Partnership Charter. Let this Charter serve as a testament to the deepening strategic relations between Armenia and the United States and as a roadmap for a future filled with shared achievements,” Minister Mirzoyan concluded.

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U.S. Department of Commerce Awards $210M to Six Tech Hubs

The U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) has announced approximately $210 million in new Tech Hub grants, ranging between $22 million and $48 million, to support six Tech Hub designees. This funding, made possible by the bipartisan FY25 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), aims to strengthen U.S. leadership in critical technologies while driving regional economic growth, job creation, and innovation. The grants build on a previous $504 million awarded in July 2024, bringing total funding to over $700 million across 18 regional centers focused on industries of the future.The awarded Tech Hubs will use the funding to advance technology commercialization, create jobs, attract private investment, and bolster economic resilience in their regions. The EDA will collaborate with the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) through the Builder Platform to provide tailored resources and personalized support to further accelerate innovation.• American Aerospace Materials Manufacturing Tech Hub (Washington, Idaho) – Focus: Aerospace materials manufacturing | Lead Agency: American Aerospace Materials Manufacturing Center | Award Amount: $48 million• Birmingham Biotechnology Hub (Alabama) – Focus: Equitable AI-driven biotechnology | Lead Agency: Southern Research Institute | Award Amount: $44 million• Corvallis Microfluidics Tech Hub (Oregon) – Focus: Microfluidics | Lead Agency: Oregon State University | Award Amount: $45 million• Critical Minerals and Materials for Advanced Energy (CM2AE) Tech Hub (Missouri) – Focus: Critical mineral processing | Lead Agency: University of Missouri System | Award Amount: $29 million• Forest Bioproducts Advanced Manufacturing Tech Hub (Maine) – Focus: Sustainable wood biomass polymers | Lead Agency: Maine Technology Institute | Award Amount: $22 million• Vermont Gallium Nitride Tech Hub (Vermont) – Focus: Gallium nitride-based semiconductors | Lead Agency: University of Vermont | Award Amount: $23 million“The Tech Hubs Program and this latest allocation of funds are the result of bipartisan cooperation, enabling regions across the nation to develop critical technologies while creating good-paying jobs and strengthening U.S. economic and national security,” said U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo.

US issues final rule barring Chinese, Russian connected car tech

The Commerce Department on Tuesday announced a new rule that will bar certain Chinese and Russian connected car technology from being imported to the United States. Software and hardware built into Vehicle Connectivity Systems (VCS) — such as telematics control units and cellular, satellite and Wi-fi functions — which are manufactured in China and Russia will be banned, along with any connected cars containing them.  Separately Russian and Chinese Automated Driving System (ADS) software — which self-driving vehicles rely on to run without a driver — will be prohibited under the new rule. The rule only applies to passenger vehicles due to supply chain challenges, but the Commerce Department said in a press release that it recognizes the “acute national security threat” foreign adversaries pose to commercial vehicles and signaled that it soon plans to separately issue a rule addressing vulnerabilities in trucks, buses and other such vehicles. Hardware and software with a “sufficient nexus” to China and Russia fall under the rule. That standard also applies to cars made in the United States containing Chinese and Russian technologies. The rule will not take effect until January 2026 for software products and January 2029 for hardware. Sales of connected cars with VCS and ADS systems tied to China and Russia — even if manufactured domestically — will be banned as of January 2026. Importers and manufacturers will be required to give the Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security an annual declaration pledging that they are complying with the new rule. Connected car threat When Commerce proposed the rule in September it said the regulation was meant to address the threat posed by China and Russia hacking into connected cars and taking individual’s personal information as well as granular details about U.S. critical infrastructure. Officials said at the time that if adversarial governments manufacturing VCS and ADS systems wanted to, they could even remotely control cars as they drive in American neighborhoods.  “Cars today aren’t just steel on wheels – they’re computers,” Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo said in a statement. “They have cameras, microphones, GPS tracking, and other technologies that are connected to the internet.”  “Through this rule, the Commerce Department is taking a necessary step to safeguard U.S. national security and protect Americans’ privacy by keeping foreign adversaries from manipulating these technologies to access sensitive or personal information,” Raimondo said. A White House announcement said the new rule will help the U.S. protect itself from Chinese cyber espionage and intrusion operations. The announcement noted that Chinese state-sponsored cyber actors such as Volt Typhoon have already shown the Chinese government is “pre-positioning on – and potentially launching disruptive cyberattacks targeting – U.S. critical infrastructure.” Russia poses a similar threat, the announcement said. “The American transportation system is vital to facilitating commerce, essential services, and daily life,” the announcement said. “This rule ensures that our critical infrastructure is not exposed to the risk of foreign adversary-controlled supply chains that could provide bad actors with the means to disrupt U.S. critical infrastructure.” Chinese and Russian government access to connected vehicle data could also allow them to gather sensitive information tracking individuals, including geolocation data, audio and video recordings and “pattern-of-life” analysis, the White House said. The Alliance for Automotive Innovation, the country’s largest lobbying organization for automakers, released a statement supporting the rule and noting that it worked closely with the Commerce Department to shape it. “The auto industry communicated our support for a final rule that addresses the unacceptable risks associated with information and communications technology and services designed, developed, manufactured or supplied by foreign adversaries like China and Russia,” John Bozzella, president and CEO of the organization, said in a statement. The Commerce Department set a reasonable time frame for automakers to adhere to the rule, Bozzella said. “Changing the world’s most complex supply chain can’t happen overnight,” the statement said. “In this respect the final rule strikes a good balance.” Get more insights with the Recorded FutureIntelligence Cloud.Learn more.