Beijing: While the world is watching the competition in the electric vehicle (EV) industry, solar cells, and batteries, for China, these are considered successes of existing plans. In its new Five-Year Economic Development Plan, China has shifted its focus to building "Six Industries of the Future," a new trump card to bolster its global leadership and long-term bargaining power. These six strategic industries are what China is aggressively investing in.
According to Thai News Agency, Dr. Arm Tangnirandorn elaborated on the six technological areas that China believes will transform global competitiveness. These include Quantum Technology, Biomanufacturing, Hydrogen and Nuclear Fusion, Brain-Computer Interface (BCI), Embedded AI (Physical AI), and 6G communication. Each of these sectors represents potential breakthroughs with significant implications for various fields, from computing and energy to AI integration and advanced communication networks.
Dr. Arm further explained the rationale behind China's heavy investment in these industries, highlighting three main reasons. First, these areas are seen as foundational technologies capable of transforming and modernizing existing industries. Second, each technology offers dual benefits, contributing to both economic growth and military/security advancements. Lastly, unlike the chip industry, where China faces competition from established Western leaders, these six areas present a level playing field with no clear market dominator, offering China a chance to take the lead.
China's approach is described as a strategic gamble with high risks but potentially high rewards. Dr. Arm noted that China views these emerging technologies as new bargaining power for the future, prepared to allocate massive state resources to ensure they can lead in at least one of these fields. The aim is to change the global landscape and secure a strategic advantage over the West.
For countries like Thailand, Dr. Arm suggested exploring research and educational collaborations with China in these emerging industries. Such partnerships could provide opportunities to integrate into the supply chain of China's new high-speed rail lines, positioning Thailand to benefit from the technological advancements China strives to achieve.