China, the USA and Technological Supremacy in Europe (Rethinking Asia and International Relations)

This book explores how technological competition is linked to the geopolitical contest between the United States and China, and why Europe and the European Union (EU) have become involved in this competition for technologicalsupremacy.China’s political and economic rise, the concurrent US withdrawal from the region, and the rise of new technologies such as 5G and AI create a new and more unstable geopolitical environment in the region. In addition, the EU, far from being a global player, finds it increasingly difficult to play a leading role. This book analyzes the nature of the ultimate goal of technological competition between the United States and China and shows how and why did the EU become the center of this struggle. The author argues that the EU has become the new battlefield of the technological struggle since wealthy societies in the EU make this competition attractive and profitable to both the US and China.By shedding light on the geopolitical motivations of China and the question of whether the US can contain China’s advance in this domain, the book will be of interest to practitioners in the fields of international relations and political science as well as policymakers and analysts employed by diplomatic services, multilateral organizations, and nongovernmental organizations. This book explores how technological competition is linked to the geopolitical contest between the United States and China, and why Europe and the European Union (EU) have become involved in this competition for technological supremacy. Cover 1 Half Title 4 Series Page 5 Title Page 6 Copyright Page 7 Table of Contents 8 List of tables 12 Author biography 14 Preface 16 Acknowledgments 22 1 The battle for technology: the global arena 24 1.1 Technology as a key factor of a superpower’s influence 24 1.1.1 “The rise of China” debate 25 1.1.2 The dilemma of “engagement versus decoupling” 27 1.1.3 The “developmental state” narrative 28 1.1.4 The EU, the excellent “prey” 31 1.2 Historical and recent technology developments in China and the United States 33 1.2.1 China 33 1.2.2 The United States 36 1.2.3 Human resources 38 1.2.4 R&D at the corporate level 40 1.2.4.1 Market value 40 1.2.5 R&D expenditures of corporations 41 1.2.5.1 Venture capital investments 41 1.2.5.2 5G and AI 42 2 The war of arguments: the European battlefield 52 2.1 EU-China debates 52 2.1.1 Economic development debates 54 2.1.2 Political debates 59 2.2 A summary of the EU’s position on China 62 2.3 Technological development and regulatory framework in the EU 65 2.3.1 Technological development and its policies in the EU 65 2.3.1.1 Weak corporate financing 67 2.3.1.2 Weak public funding 67 2.3.1.3 The weakness in innovation and 5G sector 68 2.3.2 The regulatory framework 69 3 Economic and political interests of the major powers: the United States, Germany, and Russia 77 3.1 The changing American stance on China 77 3.1.1 From the “pivot to Asia” concept to the “new cold war” 77 3.1.1.1 Reshoring 79 3.1.1.2 The consequences of technological decoupling 80 3.1.2 The link between new technologies and the rise of new authoritarian regimes? 82 3.1.3 Fraying ties with Europe 83 3.2 The core interests of German industry 86 3.2.1 German and Chinese trade ties 86 3.2.2 Direct investments in Germany and China 87 3.2.3 Policy dilemmas 90 3.3 The balancing Russia 92 3.3.1 From “Greater Europe” to “Greater Eurasia” 92 3.3.2 Potential in technology cooperation with China 93 3.3.3 Unbalanced trade and investment relations 95 3.3.4 Policy dilemmas 96 4 Chinese investment and 5G cooperation in the EU: France, Germany, and Italy 102 4.1 Germany: a case study 102 4.1.1 Introduction 102 4.1.2 The legal framework 103 4.1.3 Technology-intensive sectors 104 4.2 France: a case study 107 4.2.1 Introduction 107 4.2.2 The legal framework 108 4.2.3 The French approach to investments and China 109 4.2.4 Chinese investments in French technology-intensive sectors? 111 4.3 Italy: a case study 115 4.3.1 Introduction 115 4.3.2 The legal framework 119 4.3.3 Technology-intensive sectors and investments 120 5 Chinese investment and 5G networks in the Visegrád countries 130 5.1 The historical background 130 5.2 The work of division in Europe 132 5.3 The consequences of backwardness and asymmetrical dependence 136 5.4 Cooperation between the CEE countries and China 137 5.5 The Visegrád Four 139 5.5.1 The Czech Republic 139 5.5.2 Slovakia 142 5.5.3 Poland 143 5.5.4 Hungary 146 6 Conclusions 156 6.1 Technology in the Chinese economic model 156 6.2 The global picture 159 6.3 The EU’s China policy 162 6.4 Major powers: the United States, Germany, and Russia 164 6.5 China polices of the three old members of the EU 166 6.6 China policy in the Visegrád countries 172 6.7 Challenges 175 Index 180 Global,Arena;,European,Battlefield;,Political,Interests;,Chinese,Investment;,Visegrád,Countries Global Arena,European Battlefield,Political Interests,Chinese Investment,Visegrád Countries "The book explores how technological competition is linked to the geopolitical contest between the US and China, and why Europe and the European Union (EU) have become involved in this competition for technological supremacy. China's political and economic rise, the concurrent US withdrawal from the region, and the rise of new technologies such as 5G, and AI creates a new and more unstable geopolitical environment in the region. In addition, the EU, far from being a global player, finds it increasingly difficult to play a leading role. The book analyses the nature of the ultimate goal of technological competition between the United States and China and shows how and why did the EU become the centre of this struggle. The author argues that the EU has become the new battlefield of the technological struggle since wealthy societies in the EU make this competition attractive and profitable to both the US and China. By shedding light on the geopolitical motivations of China and the question of whether the US can contain China's advance in this domain, the book will be of interest to practitioners in the fields of international relations and political science as well as policymakers and analysts employed by diplomatic services, multilateral organizations, and non-governmental organizations"-- Provided by publisher.