(Source: China Economic News Network 2026-02-24）
[China’s strategic breakout roadmap under the competition between China and the United States]
Editor’s note: The competition between the Sino-US system has entered the deep water zone, and the United States has changed its relationship with China“Economic Contact”Change to“Strategic competition”. For China,2026—2030is at a critical node in the high-quality development stage. Although China is facing a more complex internal and external environment than before, China's strategic window of opportunity is still there. Faced with endogenous structural contradictions and severe external environment, how can China achieve a strategic breakthrough? Therefore, the China Economic Times invited well-known scholars who have in-depth cultivation in the economic, scientific and technological circles, and strategic circles to explain how China can build a modern industrial system, achieve breakthroughs in key core technologies, and form breakthroughs in important fields such as innovation ecology and talent mechanisms in the context of Sino-US system competition, thereby expanding and establishing China's voice in the global science and technology and standards system.
[Core Viewpoints]
Containing China's development is the core of the United States' current strategy toward China. Its China policy is shifting from indirect economic and w88 measures to deep and direct technological restrictions. An objective and accurate understanding of the current situation of competition between China and the United States, as well as our advantages and challenges, is an important prerequisite for scientific planning and effective response in the next stage.
In recent years, the international economic and political landscape has been complex and ever-changing, protectionism has surged in some Western economies, economic bullying by the United States has become more rampant, and the global w88 environment has become more uncertain. between China and the United States20187745_7834“Technology War”in the form of display. Containing China's development is the core of the current U.S. strategy toward China. Its China policy is shifting from indirect economic and w88 measures to deep and direct technological restrictions. Accordingly, an objective and accurate understanding of the current situation of Sino-US competition, as well as our advantages and challenges, is an important prerequisite for scientific planning and effective response in the next stage.
The new pattern of technological competition
(1) Global competition in the field of “key core technologies” is fierce, and China and the United States have differentiated advantages
The strategic game between China and the United States is increasingly focusing on "key core technologies" such as semiconductors, artificial intelligence, quantum information, new materials, and new energy storage. These fields have become the main battlefield for global technology and industrial competition.
1. Semiconductors. Semiconductors are the underlying support for the industrial system and national security system, and are also the hardware foundation on which key technologies such as artificial intelligence rely. The global semiconductor market continues to grow,2024Global market size reached6306USD billion, estimated2026The year is approaching1Trillions of dollars.
2. Artificial intelligence. Global artificial intelligence patent grants mainly come from China and the United States,2023China accounted for a high proportion69.7%, the United States starts from2015Annual peak period42.8%Down to14.2%. In terms of large model innovation,2024World famousAIIn the ranking of model number, the United States ranks first, China ranks second, and France ranks third, but the United States has since2003It has maintained a leading position in this indicator for a long time.
3. Quantum information. The three core areas of quantum technology include quantum computing, quantum communications and quantum sensing.2035The global quantum technology market is expected to reach 10099_10116|Year970billion US dollars, among which quantum computing will occupy the dominant share of the overall market. Judging from the number of patent authorizations, the United States and Japan are in the leading position in the global quantum technology patent layout, each accounting for 1% of the total global authorizations27%and14%. China ranks fourth in the number of overall quantum technology patents granted, but ranks second in the world in the quantum communication segment.
4. New materials, new energy storage. New materials mainly include three categories: advanced basic materials, key strategic materials and cutting-edge new materials. The current global competition in this field reflects the trend of cross-combination application with artificial intelligence.2024year10In March, the U.S. Department of Commerce announced an open competition to fund the effort1USD funds independent experimental projects for sustainable semiconductor materials driven by artificial intelligence to accelerate the discovery, design, synthesis and deployment of new materials and processes.2025In 2016, the National Science Foundation partnered with Intel to invest within five years2000million US dollars to establish the Artificial Intelligence Materials Institute at Cornell University, aiming to accelerate the discovery of new materials such as sustainable energy, advanced electronics, environmental protection and quantum technology by combining scientific expertise and artificial intelligence methods.
my country in202411175_11191“Develop new energy storage”. New energy storage refers to energy storage technologies that, in addition to pumped hydro energy storage, take the output of electricity as the main form and provide external services, including new lithium-ion batteries, flow batteries, compressed air energy storage, mechanical energy storage, etc. USA202211346_11375202411403_11436“Energy Storage and Battery Technology”. Focusing on net-zero emission technology research and the cultivation of independent manufacturing capabilities, the EU has issued documents such as the Net-Zero Industry Act and Advanced Materials Industry Leadership, focusing on battery technology research and giving priority to the development of new energy storage-related advanced materials.
(2) The United States and its allies have tightened restrictions on China throughout the entire production chain and are trying to compete for the right to formulate future technology application standards
1. The upstream implements a technical blockade against China.
The United States’ technology control measures against China are mainly reflected in two aspects: inward investment restrictions and external export controls, and are strengthened by restricting the flow of scientific research personnel.2024year1012372_124512025year2In August, the Trump administration issued a policy memo "America Priority Investment Policy," claiming that China obtains cutting-edge technology, intellectual property and influence in strategic industries through investment in the United States.
2. Downstream supply chain reconstruction. In addition to the additional tariffs imposed by the United States on China that have not yet been lifted,2025year7In March, the "Big and Beautiful Act" officially came into effect, and some provisions passed restrictions and“BANNED FOREIGN ENTITY”The tax credit qualifications of related enterprises try to force American companies to avoid transactions with entities with Chinese background.
3. Competing for the right to speak about future standards.2023year5In March, the U.S. White House released the "National Standards Strategy for Critical and Emerging Technologies," reiterating the importance of standards to the United States and emphasizing the need to strengthen U.S. participation in standards in critical and emerging technology fields to enhance U.S. economic and national security.
(3) We should face up to the structural challenges and potential advantages we face in technological competition
In terms of challenges, my country’s total R&D expenditure and its shareGDP13898_14022
In terms of advantages, China is the only country in the world that has all industrial categories in the United Nations Industrial Classification, covering41Industrial categories,207Medium category,666A small category, from upstream raw materials, midstream parts and components to downstream complete machine manufacturing, forming a complete industrial chain that is independent, controllable, collaborative and efficient, which is difficult to replace by developed economies and other developing economies. The new national system has played an active role in the economic and w88 struggle and scientific and technological competition between China and the United States. This institutional advantage will be further improved and demonstrated greater efficiency. Our country has obvious advantages in basic science and technology talents. In the field of artificial intelligence“90After”It is a vivid reality that talents take the lead on a global scale. Under the new situation, it is necessary to further cultivate a good ecology for the cultivation, use and play of talents.
The strategic logic of China’s breakout
As the "Thucydides Trap" reminds us, with the development of China's technology and economy, intensified competition with traditional powers is the only way to go.
2025year11In August, the annual report submitted by the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission to the U.S. Congress suggested that China has formed a state-led manufacturing system and has significant advantages in strategic industries. The report also sees continued growth in China's exports as“Capacity overflow”, accusing China’s industrial policies of causing a new round of industrial impact in Southeast Asia, Latin America and Africa, and affecting the United States’ global competitiveness“Structural Threat”. The U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission has always had a deep bias against China, which is very consistent with the current strategic positioning of the United States towards China. From this perspective, the next stage of the U.S.’s technological encirclement and suppression of China will only be more in-depth and diverse.“2026—2030year”It is likely to be an important node for strengthening restrictions, and it is also a key window period for us to take the initiative. We must face up to this urgent reality, and actively accelerate "technological breakthroughs" to achieve timely and effective responses.
Policy Suggestions
First, vigorously promote high-level scientific and technological self-reliance and effectively utilize global innovation resources. First of all, it is necessary to give full play to the advantages of the new national system, continue to increase investment in scientific research, focus on interdisciplinary research in cutting-edge fields, and provide a platform for in-depth integration between materials and artificial intelligence sectors. Secondly, deepen the integrated cooperation between industry, academia and research, promote the "trinity" coordinated and integrated development of education, science and technology, and talents, and accelerate the cultivation and use of high-quality scientific and technological talents, cutting-edge technology research and development, and industrial application promotion. Thirdly, internally, we should accelerate the construction of a unified domestic market, promote the cross-regional flow of high-level new elements, and externally, continue to promote international scientific and technological exchanges and cooperation, implement a mutually beneficial and shared scientific and technological cooperation strategy, and break through technological blockades.
Second, support basic science and original exploration, and take multiple measures to focus on overcoming key issues. First, provide long-term and stable support in basic science fields such as mathematics, physics, and chemistry, and increase investment in basic research. Secondly, select some universities and scientific research institutes with outstanding specific research advantages, target key areas and key teams, and increase incentives to "reveal the list and take charge" of urgent and critical issues to overcome difficulties. Thirdly, we encourage scientific and technological talents to face the long-term needs of national development and dare to propose new theories, open up new fields, and explore new paths. Finally, create more job demands to support basic talents, improve the service guarantee level for basic talents, and significantly enhance original creative capabilities.
Third, accelerate the improvement of China’s standards system and maintain the international voice in standard setting. First of all, based on top-level design, establish a cross-department linkage meeting mechanism to jointly study, promote and implement the standard system improvement work. Secondly, deepen international standards cooperation and maintain a mutually beneficial and win-win international standardization partnership. Thirdly, enrich the talent pool in the field of standard setting, encourage outstanding talents to work in international standards organizations, improve the organizational and coordination capabilities of the international standards cooperation network, and enhance the initiative and influence of international standard setting.
The international situation is volatile. Some developed economies use unconventional restrictive competition methods against my country in the fields of economy, science and technology, military and other fields. Their essence is to maintain absolute international control. Their most important underlying strength lies in science and technology. my country's advantages in market size, industrial system, supporting infrastructure, and national mobilization capabilities are difficult to replace. In the next stage, more attention should be paid to the0”To“1”’s original research, focusing on solving“stuck neck”In particular, it is necessary to focus on continued efforts in the fields of new energy, artificial intelligence, new materials and advanced manufacturing technology to consolidate China's absolute strength in the global scientific and technological innovation system.
(AuthorZhao Zhongxiu is the president and professor of the w88 casino）
