China’s Made in China 2025 initiative (MIC 2025) mirrors the historical catch-up strategy once employed by the United States, which protected key industries like steel and textiles to achieve global economic leadership. This approach—using state tools to build strategic advantage—reflects a pattern noted by economist Ha-Joon Chang, who observed that developed nations often “kick away … Read more
China’s financial reforms and industrial policies are deeply intertwined, reflecting a strategic focus on serving the real economy. Rather than allowing financial markets to dictate industrial outcomes, China has deliberately aligned its banking system, state-owned enterprises, and policy initiatives to support productive investment, technological upgrading, and long-term economic stability. This approach emphasizes pragmatic state-led guidance, … Read more
In the manufacturing sector, labor costs are only one aspect of competitiveness, and their relative importance varies across different industries. What truly determines manufacturing strength is the overall landed cost, which depends on a combination of factors such as workforce quality, infrastructure— including power supply and transportation— and the availability of upstream and downstream industrial … Read more
This analysis explores contrasting approaches to governance, economic policy, and technological strategy in the United States and China. Drawing on historical, cultural, and institutional contexts, it examines how the U.S.’s minimalist government philosophy prioritizes individual liberty and market-driven innovation, while China’s centralized model emphasizes collective welfare, long-term planning, and strategic coordination. By comparing political structures, … Read more
This essay traces China’s remarkable journey from wartime struggle to technological leadership, exploring the interplay of individual brilliance, patriotic commitment, and systemic innovation. It highlights the pioneering contributions of scientists such as Deng Jiaxian, and Tsien Hsue-shen, examines the evolution of China’s state-driven innovation model, and contrasts it with Western approaches shaped by market-driven priorities. … Read more
This essay explores the complementary strengths of Chinese and American education and innovation systems through the lens of Nobel laureate Yang Chen-Ning’s insights and broader comparative analysis. Drawing on Yang’s personal experience and observations, it examines how China’s rigorous, foundational education excels at cultivating discipline and broad competence for the majority of students, while the … Read more
This piece looks at how top leaders are chosen and groomed in different systems—from Singapore’s People’s Action Party (PAP) to China’s Communist Party of China (CPC), and even the papal election in the Catholic Church. It explores how small, elite groups shape leadership, maintain stability, and ensure continuity, showing that behind every leadership transition is … Read more
China’s long history of political unity and fragmentation offers key insights into the country’s contemporary governance and development strategies. From imperial dynasties to the modern Communist Party, the interplay between central authority and regional autonomy has shaped China’s stability, prosperity, and global influence. This analysis explores how historical patterns, strategic centralization, and the integration of … Read more
China’s land finance model represents a distinctive financial innovation rooted in its state-owned land system. Instead of selling land outright, the state auctions land use rights and channels the resulting revenue into large-scale infrastructure development. Institutions such as China Development Bank, backed by sovereign credit, issue bonds to finance both domestic and international projects. This … Read more
Over the 20th century, the United States led the world in technological innovation, driven in large part by industrial research laboratories such as Bell Labs, Xerox PARC, and IBM Research. These institutions combined long-term vision, interdisciplinary collaboration, and stable funding to produce breakthroughs that transformed industries and everyday life. Today, however, the landscape of innovation … Read more