An Australian security think tank pointed out on the 2nd that after tracking scientific papers in the fields of defense, space, energy and biotechnology, it found that among the 44 key emerging technologies, China leads in as many as 37; Lost in the competition. Archyde.com reported that the Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) said its research showed that the top 10 global research institutions in some fields are all headquartered in mainland China.
This research was funded by the U.S. Department of State. It found that the United States often ranks second in this survey; however, its research performance leads the world in areas such as high-performance computing, quantum computing, small satellites and vaccines.
“Western democracies are losing ground in the global technological race, including breakthroughs in science and research,” the report said, urging governments to invest more in research.
The report noted that mainland China has “an astonishing lead in high-impact research” through various government programs.
The report called on democracies to cooperate more often to create secure supply chains and “accelerate the pursuit of strategically critical technology upgrades.”
The Australian Strategic Policy Institute tracks the most-cited scientific papers because these findings are most likely to be patented.
The Australian Strategic Policy Institute pointed out that China will make an astonishing breakthrough in the research and development of hypersonic missiles in 2021. If the strong research strength of mainland China is discovered before, it can be detected earlier.
The Australian Strategic Policy Institute stated: “In the field of advanced aircraft engines, including hypersonic engines, 48.49% of the global research reports with significant influence in the past five years were produced in mainland China; and among the top 10 related research institutions in the world, Seven of them are headquartered in mainland China.”
In addition, China’s research intensity in photonic sensors and quantum communication can also make it “invisible” in Western intelligence and reconnaissance activities, including the Five Eyes alliance formed in the United Kingdom, the United States, Australia, Canada and New Zealand (Five Eyes) for reconnaissance operations.
According to the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, mainland China is likely to develop into a monopoly giant in 10 fields, including synthetic biology, batteries, 5G and nano-manufacturing.
Responsible editor: Yu Weining