For many years, the West viewed China mainly as a country that copies foreign ideas, forges brands, and floods the market with cheap, questionable goods. However, the last decade has seen significant changes: the Chinese are now developing their own technologies and becoming leaders in many industries.
By leading scientific indexes, in 2024 China surpassed the US in the number of publications in top journals and dramatically increased its share in global research. Now, seven out of the world's top ten research institutions are Chinese. This not only transforms the local but also the global technological balance.
Since 2018, the number of foreign research centers in China has rapidly increased. Volkswagen, Renault, and other giants are opening R&D centers, choosing China not only as a production base but also as an innovation hub. The efficiency of developments often exceeds European standards; for example, the implementation cycle of some technologies in China is several years shorter.
State investment in science is rapidly growing. If ten years ago China’s expenditure was a third of the US, now it’s almost equal, and by forecasts, China will surpass the US by 2030. A large number of PhDs, engineers, a developed education system, and a vast market have created favorable conditions for fast development.
There is a special focus on applied technologies: 5G, new materials, batteries, clean energy. China already dominates the production of solar panels, wind turbines, and batteries. In 2024, the country installed more solar capacity than the rest of the world combined. BYD became the world’s top electric car producer, while innovation costs drop rapidly due to large-scale production.
In parallel, the US is cutting state funding for science, including the National Science Foundation. This creates additional challenges for the West to maintain leadership.
However, China also faces challenges: issues of centralization, inefficiency, corruption, and the risk of “bubbles” in tech sectors. Furthermore, private capital in China is less responsive to real changes.
Experts point out that the current breakthrough is possible due to openness in education and the absence of rigid social barriers for talented engineers from various backgrounds. The question remains whether China can sustain this pace in the long term. The experience of other centralized systems shows that success does not always last for decades.
In conclusion, China has become not only the world's factory but also a laboratory for innovation. The West must consider this new reality and adapt its approaches to compete in technology.
