China ramps up ‘high stakes’ tech race with US as economic imbalances deepen

China on Thursday, March 5, set out a five-year roadmap to turbocharge scientific breakthroughs and embed AI across its industrial ?economic machine, framing technological dominance as a core national security goal in its sharpening rivalry with the US. In its 15th strategic plan since adopting Soviet-style quinquennial policy cycles in the 1950s, Beijing has outlined ?a bet that technology – not consumption – will drive its next phase of development despite growing structural pressures. The objectives reflect President Xi Jinping’s vision of developing “new productive forces” to escape the middle-income trap, counter the demographic downturn, and enhance self-sufficiency to insulate…