Saalman Explains Commercial and Technological Competition between the United States and China

News | December 18, 2018

On December 11, Dr. Lora Saalman, vice president of EWI’s Asia-Pacific program, gave an address on “China-U.S. Trade and Tensions” at the Kiwanis Club of Atlanta.

Her remarks focused on the challenge posed to American industry from China’s push to increase its global competitiveness. She pointed out that the United States faces future competition from China across a range of sectors, including aerospace equipment, satellite technology and agricultural machinery, presenting a test to both established and emerging companies in the United States.

Dr. Saalman’s coverage of a breadth of China’s economic initiatives, such as the Digital Silk Road, Made in China 2025, China Standards 2035 and New Generation Artificial Intelligence Development Plan, provides a realistic assessment of the challenge posed to U.S. firms. She argues that China’s ambitions are most evident in the area of technology, including the areas of artificial intelligence, telecommunications, quantum computing and smart cities. Through this inward- and outward-facing technological build-up, China is poised to set the standards and the norms throughout the region in terms of everything from energy supply to cyberspace. By examining China’s long-term strategic goals, Dr. Saalman revealed how U.S. tariffs are perceived by some in China as a barrier and to others as a boon. While trade tensions will have a disparate impact on the tech sector, Dr. Saalman stated that, “I have come across a small but seemingly growing group of young professionals in China who argue that while painful in the short-term, U.S. tariffs and sanctions are likely to be healthy for the Chinese economy in the longer term,” adding, “They are compelling faster movement on domestic innovation and the Made in China 2025 strategy,” while dislodging “vested interests and oligarchical tendencies of the upper echelon in China.”

Dr. Saalman’s remarks on a range of issues pertaining to China’s rise are crucial for anyone interested in attaining a deeper understanding of the future of U.S.-China strategic and technical relations.

For more on Dr. Saalman’s Kiwanis address, visit the article from Global Atlanta.

Photo: Global Atlanta