Rob's two cents...In the late 1950s, after the Russians launched Sputnik, America immediately reacted by implementing a national program to promote math and science education in an effort to win the technology and space race. We succeeded, and for the next forty years reigned as the innovation leaders. Blah, blah, blah you’ve probably read Friedman’s book and heard it all before (and before and before) but I’m going to write it out again…
Not to over-simplify, but it’s no real secret that China borrowed the United States’ economic model from our Sputnik scare and have been boosting math and science education and R&D for years. Interesting statistic...one of the universities in Beijing graduates more engineers annually than all US schools combined. In fact, China graduates 4 1/2 times more engineers than we do. And it's not just the number that is frightening; They're impressively talented too.
Many of us in the tech policy world here in DC have been screaming at the top of our lungs at Congress and the Administration for the past couple of years, trying to spark a sense of urgency that the United States needs to get reenergized when it comes to math and science education, immigration, and R&D investments in order for us to stay on top. However, without a Sputnik hovering over, a lot of our efforts went to deaf ears…
Thankfully, Congress and the folks down at 1600 are beginning to get their acts in gear, and are on the cusp of passing some meaningful, comprehensive and bipartisan legislation that will help keep us competitive. It may not have everything on my wish list, but it looks like a promising start…
My point in all of this? China's congressional body this week approved a five-year economic plan designed to strengthen, among many other things, the country’s science, technology and innovation efforts. This act probably won’t scare us in a way Sputnik did, but it is definitely further proof that China intends to do what is necessary to become an economic and innovative global leader. And it’s laid out on paper in plain Mandarin, right in front of us. An except from Shanghai Daily:
"The final validation of the government's action plan for the next five years by the parliament signifies China's major shift in economic policies from urban development and heavy investment in billion-dollar projects to increasing rural and sci-tech investment for sustainable development," said Li Chong'an, vice chairman of the NPC Law Committee.
So, Congress, turn up your hearing aides and listen up! The world is changing...
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