TECHNOLOGY RACEChina Extends Its Lead Over U.S. in Key Technologies
Western democracies are losing the global technological competition, including the race for scientific and research breakthroughs, and the ability to retain global talent—crucial ingredients that underpin the development and control of the world’s most important technologies, including those that don’t yet exist.A new report from the Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) finds that China’s global lead extends to 37 out of 44 technologies that ASPI is now tracking. These findings should be a wake-up call for democratic nations, who must rapidly pursue a strategic critical technology step-up.
The Australian Strategic Policy Institute(ASPI)on Monday issued an alarming report on the state of critical technology competition between the United States – and, more broadly, the West — and China.
The report — ASPI’s Critical Technology Tracker: The Global Race for Future Power — does not mince words, arguing that Chinese research on some key military technologies is so far ahead that the United States and its key allies may never be able to catch up.
China “has a commanding lead in hypersonics, electronic warfare and in key undersea capabilities,” the ASPI study found, further warning, “China’s leads are so emphatic they create a significant risk that China might dominate future technological breakthroughs in these areas.”
ASPI’s Critical Technology Tracker
The Critical Technology Tracker is a large project that spans this report and a website. It was launched on 1st March 2023.
The report can be explored at https://techtracker.aspi.org.au/ — it contains a large amount of original data and analysis. ASPI has also created a range of visual snapshots including one that outlines the lead country and technology monopoly risk and another that shows the top 5 country rankings.
On 6th June ASPI added additional AUKUS-relevant technologies to the Critical Tech Tracker. These can be explore on the website, where visitors can view a top 10 country snapshot (see these findings here). ASPI notes that there are now fifty-two critical technologies covered in the Critical Tech Tracker.
Future phases of this work are being planned. ASPI is looking at adding additional technologies, conducting new research and making this a major, annually updated project.
What’s the Problem?
Western democracies are losing the global technological competition, including the race for scientific and research breakthroughs, and the ability to retain global talent—crucial ingredients that underpin the development and control of the world’s most important technologies, including those that don’t yet exist.
ASPI’s research reveals that China has built the foundations to position itself as the world’s leading science and technology superpower, by establishing a sometimes stunning lead in high-impact research across the majority of critical and emerging technology domains.
