The post-war technological leadership of the United States was the result of massive investments in science and technology, education, and research and development. American preeminence in high technology industries, however, slowly diminished as other countries matched US investments in science and technology. By the late 1960s, the major industrial nations were sharing technology as never before.
The ASPI found that for a few fields, all of the world’s top 10 research institutions are in China, and they collectively generate nine times more high-impact research papers than the second-ranked country—which, in many cases, is the US. “In particular, China has the edge in defense and space-related technologies.”
The ASPI urged governments around the world to collaborate and invest more in research to catch up to China. It also recommended measures such as visa screening for visitors to research facilities to limit “illegal technology transfers” to China. Beijing, on the other hand, launched a trade dispute in the World Trade Organization over the US export controls. “We oppose hegemonism in science, decoupling, and breaking of industrial and supply chains. Politicizing scientific and technological issues, and using them as weapons for ideological confrontation harm the interests of the whole world,” said China’s foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning.