China Leads Research in 90% of Crucial Technologies - a Dramatic Shift this Century

China is leading research in nearly 90% of the crucial technologies that 'significantly enhance, or pose risks to, a country's national interests,' according to a technology tracker run by the Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) -- an independent think-tank. Nature: The ASPI's Critical Technology Tracker evaluated research on 74 current and emerging technologies this year, up from the 64 technologies it analyzed last year. China is ranked number one for research on 66 of the technologies, including nuclear energy, synthetic biology, small satellites, while the United States topped the remaining 8, including quantum computing and geoengineering.

The results reflect a drastic reversal. At the beginning of this century, the United States led more than 90% of the assessed technologies, whereas China led less than 5% of them, according to the 2024 edition of the tracker. 'China has made incredible progress on science and technology that is reflected in research and development, as well as in publications,' says Ilaria Mazzocco, who researches China's industrial policy at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a non-profit research organization based in Washington DC.

Mazzocco says the general trend identified by the ASPI is not a surprise, but it is 'remarkable' to see that China is so dominant and advanced in so many fields compared with the United States.

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