Li Wei: Scientific and technological innovation is a systematic test of the rise of great powers
Author: Li Wei, Professor, School of International Relations, Chinese Min University; Director of the Center for Economic Diplomacy Studies
Source: Guangming Network, September 18, 2021; Scholar of Economic Diplomacy
WeChat platform editor: Zhou Yue
Li Wei
Professor, School of International Relations, Chinese Min University; Director of the Center for Economic Diplomacy Studies
Research Interests: International Relations Theory, International Political Economy, U.S. International Economic Policy, China's Economic Diplomacy
Since March 2018, a full-blown economic conflict has erupted between China and the United States, which has continued to this day. This round of extremely fierce economic conflicts has been manifested in the form of tariff wars, investment wars, technology wars and financial wars. This economic conflict is entirely driven by geopolitical competition among great powers, with no economic logic to speak of. At present, although the tariff war and the investment war have come to an end, the battlefield has not been cleared and is still in a mess. The technical war is in full swing and continues to increase; the financial war is thunderous with war drums and arrows on the string.
There are still two key shortcomings in the process of China's rise as a great power, one is in science and technology, and the other is in finance. Technology and finance complement each other, with finance providing financial security for technological innovation, and technology providing security for financial networks. In contrast, the current US crackdown on China's science and technology has further tested the resilience and momentum of China's rise as a great power. As China's most outstanding performance in technological innovation, Huawei has also been hurt the most in this round of Sino-US economic and trade disputes. However, in the face of the dual "offensive" of the United States through technology control and market sniping, Huawei has always stood firm although carrying the weight forward. The reason for this stems from Huawei's refusal to resist the temptation of "making quick money", always adhering to technology research and development as the core competitiveness of enterprises, and unswervingly and courageously doing in technological innovation.
A new round of industrial revolution and scientific and technological innovation is the key content of the "unprecedented changes in a hundred years", and the 2020 Central Economic Work Conference will also list "strengthening the national strategic scientific and technological strength" as the first of the eight major economic work in 2021, which is also an important part of the long-term goal of 2035. If china's global leadership ability in technology cannot be achieved, China's goal of becoming a strong country will be difficult to achieve. At present, China urgently needs to take advantage of the opportunities provided by the new round of technology and industrial revolution that is being nurtured, comprehensively strengthen the construction of a high-tech innovation system, strengthen the training of scientific and technological talents, and accelerate the realization of core technology breakthroughs, especially in emerging industries such as artificial intelligence, digital technology, semiconductor chips, civil aviation, high-end equipment and materials, to achieve rapid catch-up, and promote China's transformation from a "technology introduction country" to a "technological innovation power". In order to comprehensively enhance the technological capabilities of big countries and systematically change the current situation that China is still subject to people in the field of high-end technology, the key lies in cultivating fertile innovation soil from the institutional mechanism. Specifically, in order to cultivate a good environment for scientific and technological innovation, it is particularly necessary to deal with the relationship between the following aspects.
First, it is necessary to properly handle the relationship between innovation in basic science theories and innovation in cutting-edge practical technologies. On the one hand, basic research is the source of scientific and technological innovation, and it is also the fundamental solution to the technical problem of "card neck"; on the other hand, basic research also needs to abstract theoretical problems in major applied research. Technological innovation without basic research as a support is often a wood without a root and a source of water, which is easy to be short-lived, and cannot achieve the sustainability of innovation. Huawei founder Ren Zhengfei's biggest reflection on this round of technology warfare is not that application-oriented technologies cannot keep up, but that we are weak in basic theoretical research. Recently, Ren Zhengfei said in a discussion with scientists: "For more than a decade, if the company has not attached importance to basic science and research, has not cooperated with the world's cutting-edge scientists, and has not attached importance to basic researchers, it is impossible to have such a strong theoretical technology and engineering accumulation today, then in the face of US suppression and blockade, the existing problems may not be resolved." "The leader of an enterprise has repeatedly publicly called for strengthening basic theoretical research, which is definitely a personal experience and heartfelt words after painful thinking. Therefore, basic and applied research should be mutually reinforcing and effectively integrated. Implement a long-term evaluation of basic research exploration, create a good scientific research ecology conducive to basic research, and encourage some people to be willing to sit on the cold bench and engage in long-term basic scientific research.
Second, we must properly handle the relationship between government-led innovation and market-led innovation. The Outline of the National Medium- and Long-term Science and Technology Development Plan (2006-2020) points out that it is necessary to "combine the political superiority of concentrating efforts on major events with the basic role of the market mechanism in effectively allocating resources, so as to provide an important institutional guarantee for the prosperity and development of science and technology." "While giving full play to the government's organizational role in major scientific and technological innovations, we should also effectively stimulate market potential, promote diversified supply and demand docking with market-oriented mechanisms, and improve the scientific and technological innovation system." The government's responsibility for scientific and technological innovation should focus on strengthening investment in basic education, cultivating a legal environment and social atmosphere conducive to innovation, and guiding universities, research institutes and enterprises to become the "vanguard" of technological innovation.
Closely related to this is the need to properly handle the relationship between innovation led by state-owned enterprises and innovation led by private enterprises. State-owned enterprises and private enterprises have different characteristics and have different advantages in technological innovation. State-owned enterprises have strong financial strength, relatively large technical reserves, and focus on the long term, and are the main force of technological innovation. The institutional mechanism of private enterprises is more flexible, the market awareness is stronger, the sensitivity to new technologies is more sensitive, and it is more risk-aware and pioneering. Over the past 40 years of reform and opening up, the private economy has contributed more than 70% of the achievements in technological innovation. China's private economy has become an indispensable force to promote China's development. Therefore, state-owned enterprises and private enterprises together constitute the key force to promote the development of technological innovation in China, and the two need to cooperate with each other, complement each other's advantages, and have both competition and cooperation to jointly promote China's scientific and technological innovation.
Third, we must properly handle the relationship between incremental innovation and disruptive innovation. It is necessary to strengthen the scientific and technological innovation system and mechanism that are compatible with the bottom-line thinking and the leading thinking. Bottom-line thinking needs gradual innovation, which lies in consolidating the existing foundation, from quantitative change to qualitative change, and gradually realizing key core technology research and independent control, so as to complete the upgrading of national innovation strength; leading thinking requires subversive innovation, which lies in adhering to the original orientation, bravely breaking through the "no man's land" of important emerging technologies, and quickly completing the development of transformative new technologies, so as to build new advantages for future development. The United States is a country of disruptive innovation, so it has been able to lead the technological and industrial revolution many times. In contrast, Japan is more adept at incremental innovation, and the country has strong technical strength, but lacks the ability to lead technology. China needs to strike a balance between technological progress and encourage technological accumulation and disruptive technological innovation.
Fourth, we must properly handle the relationship between individual innovation and collective research. The main body of innovation may be either an individual, or a collective, a team. Many innovations in the history of technology have come from the inspiration of individual genius, but at the same time, some major technological breakthroughs are inseparable from collective joint research. This difference is reflected in the categories of technologies of different natures. As a country with a deep tradition of collectivism, it is also necessary to give full play to and respect the talents of individuals. On the one hand, it strengthens the top-level design of the state's layout for the construction and layout of the technology innovation center and gathers collective wisdom; on the other hand, it supports and encourages innovation, rejuvenates the vitality of the people and individuals, and at the same time respects the intellectual property rights of individuals. Only under the joint efforts of individual innovation and collective research can we create a benign pattern of innovation.
Fifth, we must properly handle the relationship between independent innovation and open innovation. Scientific and technological self-reliance and self-improvement have become an important support for the current national development strategy. We must strive to make up for the many technological "shortcomings" in the economic system to enhance self-sufficiency in the core technology field. However, scientific and technological innovation has its own laws, the more emphasis is placed on the ability of independent innovation, the more it is necessary to innovate in openness, including open cooperation in scientific and technological development, and the implementation of a more open talent policy. Modern discipline technology is more complex, and any major scientific and technological innovation is inseparable from the division of labor and cooperation and joint efforts of all mankind. No country can be an independent innovation hub or have exclusive access to innovation. It is necessary to adhere to openness and innovation and strengthen international scientific and technological exchanges and cooperation. As scientific and technological innovation increasingly becomes the determining factor in the competition between China and the United States in various fields, the more China must enhance its awareness of the openness of scientific and technological innovation, actively carry out scientific and technological cooperation with all countries in the world, and absorb global innovative talents, which is not only an inevitable requirement for building an innovative power, but also a positive contribution to global balanced, inclusive and sustainable development.
In short, the unprecedented scale of technological warfare launched by the United States is a historic test for China, and Sino-US scientific and technological competition will also be an irreversible long-term trend, whether China can withstand the pressure, through the continuous reform of institutional mechanisms, steadily achieve great breakthroughs in the field of innovation, and promote the emergence of the balance of power in science and technology between China and the United States as soon as possible, is of great importance to China's rise as a great power.
*Disclaimer: This article only represents the personal views of the author and does not represent the position of this official account
Think tank of the digital economy
Political Science and International Relations Forum
In order to better serve the construction of digital China, serve the construction of the "Belt and Road", and strengthen theoretical exchanges and practical exchanges in the process of digital economy construction. Experts and scholars from China's digital economy and the "Belt and Road" construction have established a digital economy think tank to contribute to the construction of digital China. Wei Jianguo, former vice minister of the Ministry of Commerce, served as honorary president, and well-known young scholars Huang Rihan and Chu Yin led the way. The Political Science and International Relations Forum is a dedicated platform under the umbrella of the Digital Economy Think Tank.