China Systematically Developing New Technologies

newsblaze writes "China, having recognized there are major gaps in its science and technology arsenal, released their Technology Development Plans. The plans cover five main areas — geology, mechanical engineering, metallurgical engineering and aeronautical engineering. Three areas are prioritized in space technology and six major goals are announced. All this comes after having first set out their 100 Year Vision of Greatness. They appear to be giving themselves a breathing space, telling the world they are interested in cooperation and also giving themselves a major target, in much the same way as John F Kennedy did for the USA."

Comments

Fifth Area: Suppression of Human Rights

[reporter]

Regardless of how technologically superior China might be, technology alone does not create a high-quality society. To this day, many members of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) continue to emigrate to the United States (even while their relatives and other comrades in the CCP brutalize North Korean refugees). They could live like kings in China due to their CCP-derived wealth, yet they choose to go to the USA.

Look closely at Vietnam. Though it is still an authoritarian society, the Vietnamese have made significant strides towards democracy and human rights. We rarely hear of pompous national goals like "First Vietnamese in Space" from Hanoi. The Vietnamese focus on things that matter: economy and social liberalization (e.g., human rights). In fact, "The Economist" reports that the strongest voices of support for democracy is coming from the membership of the Vietnamese Communist Party.

The Chinese focus on pompous national goals (e.g., space weapons and the like), but the Vietnamese focus on the things that matter to the common people. Note that the Vietnamese are specifically not developing nuclear weapons while Beijing is spending huge sums on aggressively developing nuclear-tipped missiles.

With the new national technology program, the Chinese may create the most advanced robot in the world, but their society will be socially impoverished. Meanwhile, the Vietnamese create a liberal democracy.

15 years from now, in which society -- China or Vietnam -- would you prefer to live? Another bowl of Pho please!