China Surpasses U.S. in Technological Prowess

[marmar]

China Surpasses U.S. in Technological Prowess

Posted by Joshua Holland, AlterNet at 10:17 AM on May 26, 2008.

Did we outsource our edge?



For years, folks like Thomas Friedman and Robert Samuelson have dismissed concerns about our dwindling manufacturing base as just so much economic fear mongering. We don't need those dirty manufacturing jobs, they said. There's more value added in services, and with our educated workforce and technological edge, there's no reason in the world not to have other countries build our play-stations, bikes and TVs.

The only problem is that the manufacturing sector has always been a key driver of technological innovation. When manufacturing goes, so does a large share of hi-tech R and D. Now, according to Manufacturing and Technology News, we appear to be reaping what the corporate globalizers have sown:

China has surpassed the United States in a key measure of high tech competitiveness. The Georgia Institute of Technology's bi-annual "{High-Tech Indicators" finds that China improved its "technological standing" by 9 points over the period of 2005 to 2007, with the United States and Japan suffering declines of 6.8 and 7.1 respectively. In Georgia Tech's scale of one to 100, China's technological standing now rests at 82.8, compared to the U.S. at 76.1. The United States peaked at 95.4 in 1999. China has increased from 22.5 in 1996 to 82.8 in 2007.

"The message speaks out pretty loudly," says Alan Porter, co-director of Georgia Tech's Technology Policy and Assessment Center, which produces the benchmark. "I think the prospects are pretty scary."

"In areas like nanotechnology, China now leads the United States in published articles, but what scares me is China is getting better at marrying that research to their low-cost productive processes," says Porter. "When you put those together with our buzzword of innovation, China is big, they're tough and cheap. Again, where is our edge?"

We had it, but we shipped it off to China, content to sell one another real estate, sue each other and manufacture only green pieces of paper to trade for oil and cheap knick-knacks at Wal-Mart.


http://www.alternet.org/blogs/peek/86490/

[rockymountaindem]

1. Well, as I say so frequently these days

Nothing's getting better, and most everything is getting worse. I hope we can turn this around quickly, but honestly it's hard to be hopeful these days.

[Javaman]

2. mission accomplished...

moron* is the trainwreck that keeps on giving.

[Juche]

3. I think it'll be good

We need the competition. I think if we get slapped down a few more times the public will wake up that we need to get our act together and start acting like a mature, responsible country again.

[qazplm]

4. then again

they cant invade Taiwan primarily because they cant build enough actually amphibious landing craft and their current invasion plan involves using fishing boats.

I still think Russia is a greater long term threat than China.

[unkachuck]

5. "...China is big, they're tough and cheap. "

....we've been sold out and betrayed for silver and gold by corporate pricks in both parties....this is a decades-long crisis for us with huge negative consequences that won't be turned-around quickly, if ever....

....capital has but one allegiance and it's not to God, country or us....but then you knew that and wanted it this way, didn't you?

[The Diest]

6. Well the cons have outsourced our manufacturing,

our 80 to 100K IT jobs that are "Crummy Jobs That No American Wants", and so basically now we just compete for gas with China and India who we made wealthy nations. GenX you suck.

[Indenturedebtor]

7. This started with Clinton. And no I'm not Gen X. I'm a member of the

"Fucked Generation" - you can use the phrase. Kinda ties it all in doesn't it?

In order for people to wake up they'll need a free media to help them. Without that we continue the flush.

[Skittles]

8. ? GenX?

this shit started well before GenX had any influence

[marmar]

9. Why do we suck? What did we have to do with this mess?

No GenXer created this Corporate Indentured Servitude society. ...... And welcome to DU, BTW. :hi:

[IronLionZion]

11. Right, would you mind explaining why we suck exactly?

I was with you on the cons outsourcing jobs, but you lost me at "GenX you suck."

[mainer]

10. "China now leads the United States in published articles"

They're not just surpassing us in manufacturing and labor; they're also surpassing us in research.

This isn't a result of outsourcing. This is a result of our country's failing efforts at science education. Since a significant portion of our nation's high school teachers believe in creationism, what do we expect?

[BlooInBloo]

12. (shrug) And it'll continue as long as Americans value stupidity so highly.

[Ichingcarpenter]

13. That's why we need Creationism and Intelligent Design taught

in our Science Classes, the Bible in our Literature and History classes.


Faith Based Education will leave no child left behind.

[Evoman]

14. I'm not suprised...in general, the Chinese are hard-working and intelligent.

I've seen a big increase over in even the last 5 to 6 years in the quality of research coming out of China in biology. The number of publications in journals coming from China is increasing, as is the quality.

Hell, a fairly large percentage of the grad students in our colleges are from China and they are sought after. Around here, a lot of the Canadian student are bypassing science grad degrees in favour of proffesional programs like Med and Pharmacy, and a whole lot are going into Business Admin.

Really, what do we expect....