100 Million Chinese Scientists, Huawei's Investment of 162 Trillion Won... Why It Remains Unshaken Despite US Sanctions [Tech War, The Birth of Advanced Nations]

Taking Off from OEM China to Create China Based on Space Science Technology
100 Million Science and Technology Workers... Dreaming of Becoming a Technological Power by Winning the Tech War

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Beijing=Special Correspondent Jo Young-shin] At 10:08 a.m. on the 22nd (Beijing time), the ‘Kuaizhou-1A rocket’ carrying the ‘Tianxing-1’ satellite was launched from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in Gansu Province, China. The Tianxing-1 satellite is the 20th satellite China has launched into space this year. Earlier, on the 5th, the ‘Shenzhou 14’ carrying three astronauts headed to space. They will stay in space for six months to carry out construction work on China’s independent space station, ‘Tiangong.’

◆ China’s ‘Space Ambition’ = In January 2019, China showcased its space science technology by landing the lunar probe ‘Chang’e 4’ on the far side of the moon. China is the only country to have sent a spacecraft to the far side of the moon. On July 23, 2020, China launched the Mars probe ‘Tianwen-1.’ Tianwen-1 landed on Mars in May 2021. It explores the soil and other aspects of Mars. It also investigates the magnetic field and gravitational field to uncover the secrets of Mars’ climate.

China’s space exploration originated from rocket technology. In March last year, China launched the next-generation liquid carrier rocket Long March 7A into geostationary orbit. This rocket carried the ‘Shiyan 9’ satellite, which monitors the space environment. The Long March 7A rocket has a liftoff weight of 573 tons and is known to have a geostationary orbit carrying capacity of over 7 tons.

China’s space science technology is also applied in everyday life. The Beidou (北斗) Satellite Navigation System (BDS), China’s own GPS, is a representative example. To build this system, China has launched as many as 50 satellites into Earth’s orbit. China opened and commercialized BDS in July 2020. Last year, the total output value of China’s satellite navigation and positioning service industry reached 469 billion yuan (approximately 91 trillion Korean won). China expects the BDS market size to reach 1 trillion yuan by 2025.

◆ Huawei’s 162 trillion won investment over 10 years = Along with BDS, China is accelerating the construction of intelligent information infrastructure to lead the 4th industrial revolution. The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology of China recently announced that there are more than 1.7 million 5G base stations installed in China. Preparations for 6G beyond 5G are also active. The China IMT-2030 (6G) Promotion Group and the European 6G IA recently signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to cooperate in areas such as 6G communication networks, system vision, and demand. The goal is to take the lead in 6G standards and the industrial ecosystem.

China’s information and communication technology is advancing relentlessly despite checks from the U.S. and other Western countries. On the 8th, Huawei unveiled a new adder neural network that reduces AI computing power consumption and indoor/outdoor antenna deployment plans that can improve 5G performance. It also emphasized that it has ranked first in Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) applications worldwide for five consecutive years. Additionally, Huawei invested 142.7 billion yuan (27.64 trillion Korean won) in research and development (R&D) last year, and the total R&D investment over the past 10 years amounts to 845 billion yuan (approximately 162 trillion Korean won). Song Liuping, Huawei’s Chief Legal Officer (CLO), stated, “We are willing to disclose Huawei’s innovation achievements to the industry and provide patents and technology licenses worldwide.”

The development of China’s space science and information technology (IT) is also influencing the secondary industry. The Chinese government aims to upgrade the secondary industry structure from ‘Made in China’ to ‘Create in China.’ ‘Zhuanjingtexin’ is a representative example. The term ‘Zhuanjingtexin’ embodies specialization, refinement, and innovation. It means moving away from growth through original equipment manufacturing (OEM) like contract manufacturing to creating its own brands and nurturing them into global products. The Chinese government announced in the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021?2025) that it will create high-quality Chinese brands, and after this year’s Two Sessions (National People’s Congress and Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference), the government’s work report included a phrase about fostering Zhuanjingtexin enterprises through full support of talent and funding.

◆ Over 100 million Chinese scientists and engineers = Scientific and technological personnel are one of President Xi Jinping’s major concerns. At the Central Talent Work Conference, President Xi promised, “Youth are the future of the motherland, the hope of the nation, and the future itself,” and pledged to support young scientific and technological talents to play a leading role. In fact, the Chinese Academy of Sciences has created a separate program to support young scientific and technological talents under 35 years old by providing funding.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

According to the China Association for Science and Technology, as of the end of 2020, the number of people engaged in science and technology-related work in China reached 112.34 million. Among them, 75% are under 39 years old. Xinhua News Agency recently reported that more than 50% of the personnel at the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation, which leads China’s space science, are young talents under 35, and the average age of Huawei’s R&D personnel is under 30.

After the closing of the 5th Plenary Session of the 19th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China in October 2020, the Chinese leadership unveiled a blueprint to foster advanced technology and advanced manufacturing through continuous technological investment by 2035. The construction of China as a strong science and technology power was overshadowed by the dual circulation policy, an economic growth strategy focused on domestic demand, but the Chinese leadership clearly expressed its intention to lead qualitative development such as securing advanced technology. The mid- to long-term strategy of the Chinese leadership is to win the tech war and rise to the ranks of a strong nation.