Chinese 'Accelerators' In Silicon Valley Aim To Bring Startups Home (reuters.com)

An anonymous reader quotes a report from Reuters: Beijing's unslakeable thirst for the latest technology has spurred a proliferation of "accelerators" in Silicon Valley that aim to identify promising startups and bring them to China. The surge in the number of China-focused accelerators -- which support, mentor and invest in early-stage startups -- is part of a larger wave of Chinese investment in Silicon Valley. At least 11 such programs have been created in the San Francisco Bay Area since 2013, according to the tech-sector data firm Crunchbase. Some work directly with Chinese governments, which provide funding. Reuters interviews with the incubators showed that many were focused on bringing U.S. startups to China. For U.S. government officials wary of China's growing high-tech clout, the accelerator boom reaffirms fears that U.S. technological know-how is being transferred to China through investments, joint ventures or licensing agreements. "Our intellectual property is the future of our economy and our security," Senator Mark Warner, the Democratic vice-chairman of the U.S. Senate Intelligence Committee, said in a statement to Reuters about Chinese accelerators. "China's government has clearly prioritized acquiring as much of that intellectual property as possible. Their ongoing efforts, legal or illegal, pose a risk that we have to look at very seriously."

Comments

Their LEGAL ongoing efforts?

[CrimsonAvenger]

If you don't like their LEGAL efforts, then,being a Congresscritter, you can work to change the relevant LAWS.

Now, if they're doing illegal things, then you don't need to change the relevant laws, just enforce them. Equally. For everyone. Don't do this silly crap of "enforce the letter of the law if they're Chinese, but ignore the law if they're British/French/German (read: white guys like us).

Re:Their LEGAL ongoing efforts?

[quantaman]

If you don't like their LEGAL efforts, then,being a Congresscritter, you can work to change the relevant LAWS.

Now, if they're doing illegal things, then you don't need to change the relevant laws, just enforce them. Equally. For everyone. Don't do this silly crap of "enforce the letter of the law if they're Chinese, but ignore the law if they're British/French/German (read: white guys like us).

Or, being a responsible legislator, he could say "Hey, we've identified a potentially serious threat. We need to study it so we can take appropriate action."

Politicians don't have a magic box that gives them perfect unbiased information, they (and their staffs) need to do research and check sources just like everyone else. The right answer might even be "don't change anything but keep monitoring".

Re:Their LEGAL ongoing efforts?

[WindBourne]

First off, you are not European and I doubt that you are Caucasian.
Secondly, there is a HUGE difference in intentions. Europeans that are grabbing knowledge and companies in America are not about to bomb America with it. In addition, it is NOT 1-way only. We are allowed to buy land, companies, etc in over in Europe. OTOH, Your nation, china, blocks the west from doing the same thing.

Re:Their LEGAL ongoing efforts?

[whizzter]

It's not about "whiteness" when it comes to China, it's about a level playing field. Companies in China must be majority owned by Chinese persons or companies so even if car companies,etc has precence in China their local subsidiaries are in some fashion China owned and thus exposed to the possibility of technology theft.

For example read up on how China became the Nr #1 country in high speed trains and the bitter taste it left for companies that tried to invest in subsidiaries there to have their tech stolen and now used agains't them aborad.

http://fortune.com/2013/04/15/did-china-steal-japans-high-speed-train/

http://www.scmp.com/news/china/economy/article/2107096/china-says-its-bullet-train-technology-was-stolen-days-after-us

Re:Their LEGAL ongoing efforts?

[drinkypoo]

For example read up on how China became the Nr #1 country in high speed trains and the bitter taste it left for companies that tried to invest in subsidiaries there to have their tech stolen and now used agains't them aborad.

This is what greed looks like. China has done this kind of thing constantly, they have whole facilities which do nothing but study other people's chips for the purpose of knocking off their technology wholesale. Sure, I expect Intel and AMD to de-lid each other's CPUs to see how they did things, but the Chinese are doing it regularly for the purpose of making direct counterfeits. This is basically true in every industry in which they are involved, but foreign companies keep lining up to hand them their IP because they've got Yuan signs in their eyes. But it ends up basically the same every time.

It makes no sense to sell your best technology to the Chinese, given what they will do with it.

Re: Their LEGAL ongoing efforts?

[JaredOfEuropa]

When a business in the US deals with businesses in such nations, there's a very good chance they're dealing with a foreign national who holds no allegiance to the Western nation they're taking advantage of

As a European, with some very serious doubts about the current level of immigration, the failure of many immigrants to integrate properly (for whatever reason that may be), and what the long term effects on our society will be, I still have to ask: where did you get this ridiculous notion?

Re:Why are FOREIGNERS allowed to own US land?

[drinkypoo]

why should we NOT allow foreigners to own land? There is no reason why not. And yes, that includes the Chinese. That is not a problem.

Reciprocity. Long before Trump was running for president, or Obama for that matter, it seemed dumb to me that the situation with China was so lopsided. They should have to partner with US companies to do business here, they shouldn't be allowed to own land here, etc., until they change those policies for their own nation. China's global success is in part due to those restrictions, and letting them stand without opposition only motivates them to keep them.

Re:smart on china's part

[HiThere]

The effect may be destroying the west, but that isn't the goal. The goal is building up China. The ways they are doing it are little different than those used by the US during the late 1700's and early 1800's.

The thing that's destroying the west isn't China building up, but the US decaying, letting it's infrastructure collapse, and dismantling its industrial capabilities.

Now if you were to claim that China is trying to become more powerful than the West, I'd agree. That's a real truth.

Note that this is in clear distinction to certain religious fanatics who actually *are* trying to destroy the US. (And they aren't all of any one particular faith.)