China’s Evolving Tech Landscape: A New Dawn
Back in July 2023, during a pivotal meeting between Eric, Henry Kissinger, and China’s top leadership, it was evident that the nation’s leaders had yet to fully recognize the transformative potential of artificial intelligence. At that time, the atmosphere was tinged with economic uncertainty and a sense of cautious optimism. However, when Selina returned to China just 19 months later, she encountered a markedly different scene.
In this newer environment, discussions about DeepSeek and other sophisticated AI chatbots dominated conversations. Electric vehicles zipped through the streets, and innovative apps facilitated drone-based food delivery services. During the iconic Spring Festival Gala, China’s most-watched television event, humanoid robots produced by Unitree performed lively dances and intricate handkerchief tricks, captivating audiences nationwide and catapulting the company into the household spotlight.
This rapid transformation underscores a key reality: China is now competing at par with, or even surpassing, the United States in various technological domains, especially at the forefront of artificial intelligence. Moreover, China has developed a distinct advantage in how it effectively disseminates, commercializes, and scales manufacturing of new technologies. Historical patterns reveal that nations which adopt and spread innovations swiftly often secure dominant positions in the global tech race.
Consequently, it’s unsurprising that China has adopted assertive strategies, including retaliating against recent U.S. tariffs, to accelerate its technological ambitions. To secure leadership in the future of innovation—and to dominate the ongoing geopolitical contest—we must abandon the misconception that America always leads in these domains.
The Evolution of China’s Tech Prowess
Historically, China lagged behind in the tech arena. For instance, in 2007, the year Steve Jobs announced the groundbreaking iPhone, only about 10% of China’s population was connected online. At that time, tech companies like Alibaba were still seven years away from their initial public offerings on major stock exchanges like New York’s NYSE.
In terms of the AI race, initial developments followed a familiar trajectory. The debut of ChatGPT in San Francisco in November 2022 sparked a wave of imitation chatbots across China. Early models were estimated to be several years behind their American counterparts. Yet, as history has shown with smartphones and electric vehicles, Silicon Valley failed to predict China’s ability to develop affordable, cutting-edge alternatives swiftly. Today, Chinese AI models have made significant strides, with some benchmarks indicating that DeepSeek’s March update to its V3 large language model is among the best non-reasoning AI models globally.