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China Briefing
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Wang Xiangwei
Wang Xiangwei

China Briefing | No rocket science: for China to beat US in tech, it must boost R&D investment and cultivate world-class talent

  • China’s race for tech supremacy has become more urgent amid worsening ties between Beijing and Washington
  • As senior Party officials prepare to set new five-year economic goals, challenges include expanding China’s research sector and nurturing more top scientists

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China is in dire need of world-class scientists to push for technological breakthroughs. File photo: AP
Wang Xiangwei

From Monday, senior Chinese officials are set to converge on Beijing for a key meeting to thrash out detailed five-year targets for economic growth, and long-term development goals for 2035.

The importance and urgency of pursuing local innovation and technology have never been greater, as China seeks to speed up its economic transformation through developing hi-tech industries and strengthening self-reliance in the face of worsening relations with the United States, which is moving to restrict Chinese firms’ access to American technology, among other things.
Over the past few weeks, Chinese President Xi Jinping has flagged the unmistakable sign of things to come. On a trip this month to mark Shenzhen’s 40th anniversary as China’s first special economic zone, he urged the city to grow into a global leader in technological and industrial innovation.

While visiting a hi-tech company in Guangdong as part of the trip, Xi said China needed to “take the road of self-reliance on a higher level” as the country is faced with “major changes unseen in a century”.

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Xi Jinping vows to promote Shenzhen as global trade hub during 40th anniversary visit

Xi Jinping vows to promote Shenzhen as global trade hub during 40th anniversary visit

One week ago, Xi chaired a special study session for the Communist Party’s 25-member Politburo on the importance and urgency of China winning the race on quantum science and technology, which he said would lead a new round of technological revolution and industrial transformation.

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