The Background of China's Technology and Artificial Intelligence Initiative
China's rapid rise in areas such as artificial intelligence and chips is based on decades of publicly funded research and an increase in patents.
China's rise in artificial intelligence, chips, and hypersonic technologies is not a sudden success, but rather relies on publicly funded research and long-term preparations.
New Era in the Technology Race
Past competition between the US and the Soviet Union has largely been replaced today by a technological race between the US and China.
China's rapid progress in artificial intelligence, computer chips, and hypersonic technologies attracts international curiosity.
Analysis of the Increase in Patents
Research by the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) covering the years 1985–2023 reveals the change in China's innovation process.
Critical technology patents in the country were below 10,000 in the early 2000s, but rose to over 400,000 in 2022.
Actors Participating in Production
Technology production in China is not solely a monopoly of a few large companies, but is spread across numerous institutions.
According to 2022 data, the top 10 patent holders in China hold approximately 4 percent of the total patents.
The Role of Universities
Fifty-eight percent of critical technology patents in China originate from the private sector, and 27 percent from universities.
This situation shows that universities assume a directly active role in the development of new technologies.