In the wake of heightened tensions, the recent positive interactions between Chinese and US officials during Donald Trump's presidential inauguration signal a promising chapter for China-US bilateral relations.
Among the myriad of issues defining this relationship, steadfast collaboration in science and technology stands out as a pivotal element for both nations' future.
As the world navigates the big-data era, propelled by artificial intelligence (AI), the cooperation between China and the US—currently the world's largest economies and tech powerhouses—is more critical than ever. According to Hurun's 2024 Unicorn List, the US boasts 703 unicorn companies, while China follows with 340, outpacing Germany, the UK, and France combined.
This robust partnership has the potential to drive global technology and economic advancements. However, recent years have seen increased hostility and restrictions from Washington towards Chinese technology. Notably, the US Supreme Court's decision to ban TikTok on the eve of Trump's inauguration exemplifies these challenges.
Under the Biden administration, trade and investment restrictions on sectors like chips, AI, quantum telecommunications, and computing have intensified, placing over 800 Chinese entities on the US \"entity list.\" These measures aim to hamper China's technological progress and maintain US dominance in frontier technologies.
Despite these efforts, China's technological advancements continue unabated. For instance, iFlytek, a leading Chinese computing company, successfully developed the \"FlyingStar One\" Supercomputing Platform in collaboration with Huawei. This achievement marks the world's first non-US supercomputing platform supporting a trillion-parameter model.
Moreover, China's prowess in quantum telecommunications surpasses the US, rendering restrictive bans less effective. In the AI sector, while the US excels in lab research, China outpaces in manufacturing capacity, offering competitive products like robot dogs at a fraction of the cost.
The US ban on high-process chips has paradoxically bolstered China's chip industry, with imports rebounding to 99.4% of 2021 levels and exports increasing by 16.2% in 2024. Projections indicate that China will account for 40% of global chip-making capacity by 2027.
Recognizing the mutual benefits of collaboration, the Biden administration has extended the China-US Science and Technology Agreement for another five years. This landmark agreement has fostered significant breakthroughs, including the joint neutrino test in Daya Bay, recognized by \"Science\" magazine as a major scientific achievement.
Moving forward, establishing new mechanisms for dialogue and joint working groups in science and technology is essential. By addressing mutual concerns and focusing on future technologies, China and the US can enhance their strengths and contribute to a better global future.
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Advancing science and tech cooperation benefits China and US
cgtn.com
