China’s R&D prowess was visible in research output, patents, PhDs, and critical technologies for years, long before crystallizing into commercial products that Western investors, commentators, and policymakers noticed. And now it’s happening again.
POTSDAM—As scientists, we had the uneasy privilege of witnessing China’s rise earlier than most. Long before a country’s regional or global dominance shows up in macroeconomic aggregates and stock valuations, it can be inferred from the kinds of signals that scientists notice: scholarly publications, patents, talent formation, infrastructure investments, industrial coordination, and the growth of capacity in strategic fields.