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Technological Environment & Industrial Innovation

May 13-2025   



*This article is based on a speech by Mei Liang, Associate Researcher of PKU NSD.

 

Current Competitiveness of China's S&T Innovation

At the macro level, China's global innovation competitiveness has improved significantly since the innovation-driven development strategy was proposed. Taking the Global Innovation Index (GII) published annually by the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) as an example, China's overall innovation index ranked 34th in the world in 2012, and after about 10 years of development, it has jumped to the 11th place by 2024.

At the data level, 'patent applications' is a key indicator. It is the most direct reflection of innovation competitiveness. According to the latest data released by the World Bank up to 2021, since 2010, when China's patent applications surpassed those of Japan to rank first in the world, China's patent applications have shown exponential growth, and the scale indicator is much larger than that of other science and technology powerhouses in the world, which reflects China's competitiveness in the field of global innovation.

 

The Dynamic Evolution of U.S. Science, Technology & Innovation Strategies

In recent years, the suppression and containment of Chinese science and technology by the United States has become a bipartisan consensus in the United States. From a historical perspective, the most important external driving force for the development of the US's own S&T innovation strategy has been the great power of S&T competition. At present, it is widely accepted that China has become a system-level competitor of the United States in the global S&T innovation and governance system. In this context, how to promote scientific and technological innovation activities, develop new quality productive forces in accordance with local conditions, and seize development opportunities for future scientific and technological frontiers and innovation highlands has become the main challenge we face.

 

Exploring and Judging the Next Step of the U.S. S&T Competition Situation with China

I believe that "strategic industries" may be the next key point in the US-China competition. Strategic industries have two core characteristics: first, their key technologies are cutting-edge and constantly evolving. Second, strategic industries must also have the ability to provide innovation infrastructure for the same or related industries. The external environment of S&T innovation in the context of US-China competition has expanded from "technology" to a broader "industry" level.

 

Reflections on National Science, Technology & Innovation Strategies

The US containment of China from key technologies to strategic industries is actually difficult to achieve substantial results, and the effectiveness of China's S&T innovation-driven industrial innovation will be realized. On the one hand, escalating containment is actually the best and continuous "external mobilization" for China's scientific and technological innovation-driven industrial innovation and the achievement of autonomous security and control of strategic industries. On the other hand, escalating containment is also the best reflection of the continuous upgrading and progress of China's scientific and technological innovation-driven industrial innovation in recent years.

Technological Environment & Industrial Innovation

May 13-2025   



*This article is based on a speech by Mei Liang, Associate Researcher of PKU NSD.

 

Current Competitiveness of China's S&T Innovation

At the macro level, China's global innovation competitiveness has improved significantly since the innovation-driven development strategy was proposed. Taking the Global Innovation Index (GII) published annually by the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) as an example, China's overall innovation index ranked 34th in the world in 2012, and after about 10 years of development, it has jumped to the 11th place by 2024.

At the data level, 'patent applications' is a key indicator. It is the most direct reflection of innovation competitiveness. According to the latest data released by the World Bank up to 2021, since 2010, when China's patent applications surpassed those of Japan to rank first in the world, China's patent applications have shown exponential growth, and the scale indicator is much larger than that of other science and technology powerhouses in the world, which reflects China's competitiveness in the field of global innovation.

 

The Dynamic Evolution of U.S. Science, Technology & Innovation Strategies

In recent years, the suppression and containment of Chinese science and technology by the United States has become a bipartisan consensus in the United States. From a historical perspective, the most important external driving force for the development of the US's own S&T innovation strategy has been the great power of S&T competition. At present, it is widely accepted that China has become a system-level competitor of the United States in the global S&T innovation and governance system. In this context, how to promote scientific and technological innovation activities, develop new quality productive forces in accordance with local conditions, and seize development opportunities for future scientific and technological frontiers and innovation highlands has become the main challenge we face.

 

Exploring and Judging the Next Step of the U.S. S&T Competition Situation with China

I believe that "strategic industries" may be the next key point in the US-China competition. Strategic industries have two core characteristics: first, their key technologies are cutting-edge and constantly evolving. Second, strategic industries must also have the ability to provide innovation infrastructure for the same or related industries. The external environment of S&T innovation in the context of US-China competition has expanded from "technology" to a broader "industry" level.

 

Reflections on National Science, Technology & Innovation Strategies

The US containment of China from key technologies to strategic industries is actually difficult to achieve substantial results, and the effectiveness of China's S&T innovation-driven industrial innovation will be realized. On the one hand, escalating containment is actually the best and continuous "external mobilization" for China's scientific and technological innovation-driven industrial innovation and the achievement of autonomous security and control of strategic industries. On the other hand, escalating containment is also the best reflection of the continuous upgrading and progress of China's scientific and technological innovation-driven industrial innovation in recent years.