The New ‘Space Race’ – China Vs America
Today the Promise of ‘Fresh Start’ for US-Russia Relations after a G20 meeting of the country’s Presidents. On the home front America’s automotive industry is in shambles and Obama requesting demanding the biggest shake up to business practise the likes of GM and Chrysler have ever seen.
America will remain an enormous player in the world economy; but they’re no longer the sole player sitting in the play box. For the last decade India and particularly China have been gaining momentum on the global economic stage.
With their vast territory and huge population China has relentlessly grown with an ambitious programme of economic reform while developing its infrastructure, army and advanced weaponry through the latter part of last century. Their foreign trade and foreign reserves have been essential in quadrupling their GDP between 1978 and 1999 (page x1). I conjecture China does not wish to gain significant influence in the world by the bruit force of war; but rather by economic force. And they’ve spent the last thirty years preparing themselves for such a time as this.
So, as we are at this watershed in global history where things that once seemed rock solid now seem rather more malleable, can China continue to project itself on their path to global superpower? Do they have enough momentum and agility to act and take advantage of the worst economic crises since the Great Depression (according to the IMF)?
If the auto industry is any sort of indicator to answer these questions then maybe we have a new symbol. The Space Race was a palpable symbol of the cultural, technological, and ideological rivalry from the Cold War. Though there’s a less finite goal than landing on the moon first, today China has thrown down the gauntlet by announcing their ambition to be the world’s leader in electric cars. At a time when America looking to pour funds into their ailing auto industry this announcement by China hits America where it’s hurting. Wow, this ought to be exciting.
China is making a virtue of a liability. It is behind the United States, Japan and other countries when it comes to making gas-powered vehicles, but by skipping the current technology, China hopes to get a jump on the next. (see the article)
Questions:
- What are your thoughts and predictions?
- Does China have what it takes? Do they have enough of (or the access to) the right natural resources and expertise to make this happen?
- Can the American auto industry find an ambitious programme of their own?
- Is this only a two horse race? What are European and Japanese auto manufactures ambitions?
- Maybe I’m thinking too specifically to focus on the auto industry. Is it better to see the whole evolution in environmental, social, technological and economic ideology as the war? If so what are going to be the symbols/icons?
Update: Just came across this tweet from Wired Magazines’ @wiredresearch:
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