China Outranks US In Global Competition For Key Emerging Technology, Study Finds

China has a “stunning lead” in 37 out of 44 key and emerging technologies as Western government lose a global competition for research output, a security think tank said on Thursday after monitoring energy, defense, space, and biotechnology.

The Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) said its study found that, in some fields, all of the world’s leading 10 research institutions are based in China.

The study, backed by the United States State Department, showed the United States was usually second-ranked, although it led global research in quantum computing, high-performance computing, vaccines, and small satellites.

“Western democracies are losing the global technological competition, including the race for scientific and research breakthroughs,” the report said, encouraging larger research investment by governments.

China had taken a “stunning lead in high-impact research” under government programs.

The report requested democratic countries to collaborate more often to build secure supply chains and “rapidly pursue a strategic critical technology step-up”.

ASPI tracked the most-referenced scientific papers, which it said are the most likely to lead to patents. China’s unexpected breakthrough in hypersonic missiles in 2021 would have been determined earlier if China’s strong research had been revealed, it said.

“Over the past five years, China generated 48.49% of the world’s high-impact research papers into advanced aircraft engines, including hypersonics, and it hosts seven of the world’s top 10 research institutions,” it said.

In the fields of quantum communication and photonic sensors, China’s research strength could lead to it “going dark” on the surveillance of western intelligence, including the “Five Eyes” of Britain, Australia, the United States, Canada, and New Zealand, it said.

National talent flows of researchers were also monitored and monopoly risks were detected. China was likely to develop a monopoly in 10 fields including synthetic biology, where it generates one-third of all research, as well as nano manufacturing, 5G, and electric batteries.

The Chinese Academy of Sciences, a government research body, took first or second position in most of the 44 technologies tracked, which spanned defense, robotics, space, energy, biotechnology, the environment, artificial intelligence (AI), advanced materials, and quantum technology.

China was strengthening its research with knowledge acquired overseas, and the data found one-fifth of the leading Chinese researchers were trained in a Five Eyes country, it said. The study suggested visa screening programs to restrict illegal technology transfers and instead urge international collaboration with security allies.

Australia’s universities have said they are adhering to foreign influence laws designed to prevent the illegal transfer of technology to China, but also noted international collaboration is an essential part of university research.