Commentary
BEIJING – The Associated Press (AP) has recently cited in a report business and political leaders as smearing China over its pursuit of tech “self-reliance” in an unfounded claim that it might “slow down innovation, disrupt global trade and make the world poorer.”
Only too absurd is the logic of the AP’s coverage. While admitting the world is suffering from severe chip shortages due to COVID-19, the US news agency is still bent on hyping up Washington’s vicious attempt to deter major countries like China from independently producing chips and pursuing sci-tech innovation, which has further disrupted the already-tangled global supply chains.
The AP’s argument attests to the ulterior motives of those who stubbornly cling to an obsolete “Western-centric yardstick” and the arrogant mindset of “America First.” It seems fairly necessary to help them make order out of the confusion of their minds.
Examples abound that in recent years the United States, in order to maintain technology supremacy, has been heavy-handed with foreign companies that strive to develop advanced technologies, despite its long-proclaimed rules of free market economy and international trade norms. Abusing state power under the pretext of national security, Washington has placed hundreds of Chinese institutions and companies into the US “entity list” of export controls, regardless of their contributions to the US economic growth.
For one thing, China’s drive to accelerate independent innovation is the natural and necessary path that the country must follow amid rapid social and economic development. It conforms to the law of economics, and is never at the mercy of anybody else.
Such economic bullying and technological blockade did not stop the development of Chinese enterprises, but made more of them earnestly improve research originality and strive for more breakthroughs in professional fields.
“From chasing after others, to running neck by neck with counterparts, and to taking the lead in a race, this is the normal law of development for a major tech power,” said Australian economist Guo Shengxiang. “Even without US sanctions, China would devote itself to independent innovation, so as to strengthen tech-driven and innovation-driven economic growth. That’s also what China needs to achieve sustainable development.”
For another, China’s independent innovation does not mean working behind closed doors. As part of global innovation, China helps break the monopoly of a minority of powers and stabilize global supply chains. For years, China has been committed to promoting international cooperation in science and technology and sharing its development dividends with the rest of the world. Up to now, China has established a sci-tech cooperation relationship with more than 160 countries and regions, and joined more than 200 international organizations and multilateral mechanisms.
Notably, China’s greater focus on independent innovation and international cooperation has been highly recognized by foreign entities. Foreign direct investment (FDI) into the Chinese mainland, in actual use, rose 15.9 percent year-on-year to top the 1-trillion-yuan mark in the first 11 months of 2021, surpassing the whole-year FDI in 2020, according to the Ministry of Commerce. In particular, high-tech industries saw FDI inflow jump 19.3 percent.
As has been witnessed, China’s innovative development has shown a strong positive spillover effect worldwide. Take BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (BDS-3) as an example. BDS-3 has met the requirements in performance indexes of positioning, velocity measurement, and timing precision, as well as the availability and continuity of its services, based on real-time testing of the international GNSS monitoring and assessment system.
Basic products of the Chinese navigation system have been exported to over 120 countries and regions. Applications such as land rights confirmation, precision farming, digital construction and smart port services based on the system have also been applied in ASEAN countries, South Asia, East Europe, and Africa, contributing to local economic and social development, as well as the construction of the Belt and Road.
As a further illustration, the National Optic Fibre Backbone Infrastructure, one of China-aided projects in the East African nation, has allowed Kenya to expand broadband access, giving a boost to the country’s e-commerce as well as the information and communications industry.
Thanks to its improved capability in scientific research and medical technology, China has so far provided 2 billion doses of COVID-19 vaccines to more than 120 countries and international organizations, which accounts for one third of total global vaccine use outside of China, thus becoming the biggest foreign provider of COVID-19 vaccines.
China’s independent innovation will surely make the pie of global common development even bigger, and more dividends of cross-border exchanges and international win-win cooperation will thus be reaped by all market entities across the world. – Xinhua
