GUANGZHOU, China – China is looking to boost research on what it calls “frontier technology”, including quantum computing and semiconductors, while competing with the United States for supremacy in the latest innovations.
In its five-year development plan, the 14th of its kind, Beijing said it would make “self-reliance and self-improvement in science and technology a strategic pillar for national development,” according to a CNBC translation.
Prime Minister Li Keqiang said on Friday that China would increase spending on research and development by more than 7% a year between 2021 and 2025, in search of “major advances” in technology.
China’s technology champions such as Huawei and SMIC have been subject to U.S. sanctions as tensions between Beijing and Washington have increased in recent years.
As such, China has focused on increasing its domestic expertise in areas it considers strategically important, such as semiconductors. And now it has established seven “frontier technologies” that it will prioritize not only over the next five years, but beyond as well.
1) Artificial intelligence (AI)
China plans to focus on developing specialized chips for AI applications and developing so-called open source algorithms. Open source technology is generally developed by one entity and licensed by other companies.
There will also be an emphasis on machine learning in areas such as decision making. Machine learning is the development of AI programs trained on large amounts of data. The program “learns” as it receives more data.
AI has been a key field for Chinese companies and the central government in recent years. Large companies like Alibaba and Baidu have invested in the technology.
China and the USA are competing for the dominance of AI. A group of experts chaired by former Google CEO Eric Schmidt said that China could soon replace the United States as the “world’s AI superpower”.
2) Quantum information
3) Integrated circuits or semiconductors
Semiconductors are a critical area for China and in which it has invested heavily in recent years, but the country has struggled to reach the United States, 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 makers, but they have tools from the United States and Europe.
Washington put SMIC, China’s largest chip maker, on an export blacklist called the Entity List. SMIC is unable to get its hands on American technology. And the United States allegedly pushed to stop the Dutch company ASML from sending out an important tool that could help SMIC reach its rivals.
Since China does not have companies that can design and manufacture the tools that its chip makers require, it depends on companies from other countries. This is something that China wants to change.
In its five-year plan, China says it will focus on research and development on integrated circuit design tools, equipment and essential materials.
Chips are extremely important because they go to many of the devices we use, such as smartphones, but they are also important for other industries.
4) Brain science
China plans to research areas such as brain disease prevention.
But he also says he plans to study “brain-inspired computing” as well as “brain-computer fusion technology”, according to a CNBC translation. The five-year plan did not detail how this could be.
China has established seven “frontier” technologies in its 14th Five-Year Plan. These are areas in which China will focus research and include semiconductors and brain-computer fusion.
Yuichiro Chino | Moment | Getty Images
However, this work is already underway in the United States at Neuralink, Elon Musk’s company. Musk is working on implantable brain chip interfaces to connect humans and computers.
5) Genomics and biotechnology
With the coronavirus outbreak last year, biotechnology has gained importance.
China says it will focus on “innovative vaccines” and “biosafety research”.
6) Clinical medicine and health
China’s research will focus on understanding the progression of cancer, cardiovascular, respiratory and metabolic diseases.
The government also says it will research some “cutting-edge” treatment technologies, such as regenerative medicine. This involves drugs that can regenerate or repair damaged cells, tissues and organs.
China says it will also look for key technologies in the prevention and treatment of major communicable diseases.
7) Space, deep terrestrial, deep marine and polar research
Space exploration has been one of China’s top priorities recently. Beijing said it will focus on research on the “origin and evolution of the universe”, on exploration of Mars, as well as on research in deep and polar waters.
In December, a Chinese spacecraft returned to Earth carrying moonstones. It was the first time that China launched a spacecraft from an extraterrestrial body and the first time that it collected lunar samples.
And in July, China launched a mission to Mars called Tianwen -1.
– CNBC’s Iris Wang contributed to this report.