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South China morning post
Leading Minds Appeal to Joe Biden to Reset US Tech Policy on China
A high-powered US task force recommended to the incoming US administration that it restart US technology policy to better counter China’s challenge. The report comes amid discussions on how to correct flawed policies forged over four years of antagonism. against China by President Donald Trump. According to the report released Monday, the US should invest more to stay at the forefront of fundamental research and dual-use technologies, but should also abandon the “total exclusion” strategy towards Chinese technology companies, including Huawei Technologies, that have been blacklisted by the Trump administration. Get the latest insights and analysis from our Global Impact newsletter on great stories originating from China. The report – “Facing the Challenge from China: A New US Strategy for Technological Competition” – was published by the Working Group on Science and Technology in US-China Relations at the University’s School of Global Policy and Strategy. of California in San Diego. By taking a layered approach to risk control, the US could maximize security and manage any risks of espionage and sabotage in 5G technology applications, including that of Huawei. “As an alternative to radical decoupling, we propose a highly specific approach to risk management modeled on our experience with cybersecurity,” he said. The working group is made up of 28 specialists in China, foreign policy, economics, science and technology from universities and think tanks, as well as from the business world. It includes Susan Shirk, former deputy assistant secretary of state from 1997 to 2000; Wendy Cutler, Acting Deputy US Trade Representative in the Obama Administration; and Evan Medeiros, former senior adviser to Barack Obama on Asia and the Pacific affairs. “The intention of the task force was to create a guide for the transition team to the next president” to offer policy suggestions for the United States to compete with China in fundamental research, 5G, artificial intelligence and biotechnology, according to the report. China’s tech industry relieved by Biden’s win, but not relaxed Before the US elections, China drew up a plan for the next five years and laid out a roadmap for the next 15 years to consolidate economic resilience, modernize the army and achieve technological self-sufficiency. and tech supremacy, and break America’s tech boycott. In the United States, with a Biden presidency looming, a major policy adjustment is expected to alter the course set by the Trump administration. Biden’s priorities are expected to focus on containing the coronavirus and propping up the economy. On the diplomacy front, Biden is expected to make amends with the allies. His policy towards China remains largely unclear, although he has branded China a competitor rather than a threat. The report advises the incoming administration to do two things: “make the necessary investments and policy adjustments for our science and technology base at home; and devising a new approach to global cooperation that minimizes the security risks posed by China without unduly sacrificing the benefits of openness. “” The task is urgent, “he said. Regarding Huawei, which is at the center of the current technology war between China and the United States, the authors of the report said that the risks associated with the Chinese telecommunications company could justify a ban on some products, but “the total global exclusion of Huawei is not feasible, nor is Huawei the only risk.” Huawei sells the Honor smartphone brand amid US sanctions. “The US should not try to win a race between Huawei and a new American national champion. Instead, the United States should adopt a forward-thinking strategy to enable a variety of new entrants to successfully enter the 5G innovation space, “he said.” Such diversification of supplies will facilitate managing immediate security risks and complex future threats to the 5G ecosystem as it moves from a single vendor model to a more competitive interoperable system and diverse “. It was also “in the interest of the US to deflect Beijing’s attempt to dominate [the 5G] standard setting process, ”he said. The United States should play a leadership role as it works with allies to counter market-distorting subsidies from the Chinese government. The authors said the United States, which was “strongly competitive” in 5G technology, had overreacted to the challenge from China, whose advantage in artificial intelligence was overrated and which only led the world in the field of facial recognition. The report advises reviewing US immigration policies to ensure that it attracts tech talent for the development of artificial intelligence. Regarding human rights abuses in China, the report’s authors said that measures directed against organizations that aid the abuse were more effective than restricting access to US artificial intelligence technology. They also said that the two Countries could collaborate on research related to Covid-19 and biotechnology to address global health problems. More from South China Morning Post: * Biden and Xi ‘should meet early’ to resolve differences between the US and China * China’s tech industry relieved by Biden’s victory, but not relaxed * Operation Rese t? The United States and China Reactivate Secondary Channel Talks; Beijing congratulates Biden. on China first appeared on the South China Morning Post For the latest news from the South China Morning Post, download our mobile app. Copyright 2020.
