The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has articulated a desire to dominate the technologies of the future. Artificial intelligence (AI) is a particular focus, as the Politburo’s 20th collective study session made clear. At the meeting, Xi Jinping described AI as “a strategic technology leading a new round of scientific and technological revolution and industrial transformation” (People’s Daily, April 27).
Advanced semiconductor technology and computing capacity are essential to further breakthroughs in AI. Beijing has therefore accelerated promotion of self-reliance in semiconductor design and production in the last decade, and especially since the imposition of export controls by the United States. The ambition to achieve self-reliance in chip production dates back much earlier, however, and was first incorporated as part of a national plan in 1986. Despite many struggles and some high-profile scandals and failures, the People’s Republic of China (PRC) is making progress on several fronts. Notably, Huawei continues to thrive and innovate.
The arrival of DeepSeek’s R1 reasoning model in early 2025 indicates that the PRC maintains a strong capacity for innovation. The Party views DeepSeek’s success as an exposition of its own model of technological development. It rarely notes, however, that this model relies on partnering with overseas institutions, building on top of Western open-source technologies, and acquiring advanced technologies through illegal means, such as through theft, smuggling, and forced transfers.
No comments:
Post a Comment