GUANGZHOU, China – China wants to advance research into what it calls ‘frontier technology’, including quantum computers and semiconductors, as it competes with the US for the highest in latest innovations.
In its five-year development plan, the 14th of its kind, Beijing said it would “make scientific and technological independence and self-improvement a strategic pillar for national development,” according to a CNBC translation.
Premier Li Keqiang said on Friday that between 2021 and 2025, China will increase spending on research and development by more than 7% per year, in pursuit of ‘major breakthroughs’ in technology.
The US sanctions have targeted China’s technology champions such as Huawei and SMIC as tensions between Beijing and Washington have increased in recent years.
As such, China has concentrated on advancing its domestic expertise in areas it considers important, such as semiconductors. And now it has set out seven “frontier technologies” that will not only prioritize it for the next five years, but beyond.
1) Artificial Intelligence (AI)
China plans to focus on specialized disk development for AI applications and the development of so-called open source algorithms. Open source technology is usually developed by one entity and licensed by other companies.
Emphasis will also be placed on machine learning in areas such as decision making. Machine learning is the development of AI programs that are trained in large amounts of data. The program “learns” as it gets more data.
AI has been an important field for Chinese companies and the central government for the past few years. Major companies such as Alibaba and Baidu have invested in the technology.
China and the US compete for AI dominance. A group of experts chaired by former Google CEO Eric Schmidt said China could soon replace the US as the world’s “AI superpower”.
2) Quantum Information
3) Integrated circuits or semiconductors
Semiconductors are a critical area for China and it has invested heavily over the past few years, but the country has struggled to catch up with the US, Taiwan and South Korea.
The problem is the complexity of the semiconductor supply chain. Taiwan’s TSMC and South Korea’s Samsung are the two most advanced chip manufacturers, but they rely on tools from the US and Europe.
Washington has placed SMIC, China’s largest chipmaker, on a blacklist for exports, called the Entity List. SMIC cannot get its hands on American technology. According to reports, the US has insisted on preventing the Dutch company ASML from sending an important tool that can help SMIC catch up with competitors.
Since China does not have the enterprises that can design and manufacture the tools its chip makers need, it is dependent on companies from other countries. This is something China wants to change.
In its five-year plan, China says it will focus on research and development in the design of integrated circuit tools, key equipment and key materials.
Chips are incredibly important because they use a lot of the devices we use, such as smartphones, but are also important for other industries.
4) Brain science
China plans to explore areas such as stopping brain diseases.
But it also says he plans to look at ‘brain-inspired computers’ as well as ‘brain-computer fusion technology’, according to a CNBC translation. The five-year plan did not elaborate on what it might look like.
China has outlined seven “border” technologies in its 14th five-year plan. These are areas that China will focus research on and include semiconductors and fusion of brain computers.
Yuichiro Chino | Moment | Getty Images
However, such work is already underway in the US at Elon Musk’s company Neuralink. Musk is working on implantable brain chip interfaces to connect people and computers.
5) Genomics and biotechnology
With the outbreak of the coronavirus last year, biotechnology has increased.
China says it will focus on ‘innovative vaccines’ and ‘biological safety research’.
6) Clinical medicine and health
The research in China will focus on understanding the progression of cancer, cardiovascular, respiratory and metabolic diseases.
The government also says it will explore some “cutting-edge” treatment technologies such as regenerative medicine. It involves medicines that can regrow or repair damaged cells, tissues and organs.
China says it will also look at key technologies in the prevention and treatment of serious communicable diseases.
7) Deep space, deep earth, deep sea and polar research
Space exploration has recently been a top priority for China. Beijing has said it will focus on research into the “origin and evolution of the universe”, exploring Mars as well as deep-sea and polar research.
In December, a Chinese spacecraft returns to Earth with rocks from the moon. It was the first time China had launched a spacecraft from an extraterrestrial body and the first time it had collected lunar samples.
And in July, China launched a mission to Mars called Tianwen -1.
– Iris Wang, CNBC, contributed to this report.