What the World Can Learn From China’s Innovation Playbook | Keyu Jin | TED

Summary

The speaker reflects on China's transformation from scarcity to technological abundance, highlighting the country's unique 'juguo' system that fosters innovation through a 'whole nation' approach. Despite being a developing nation, China's decentralized 'mayor economy' model has driven significant advancements, particularly in electric vehicles. The talk emphasizes the importance of understanding and learning from different models to foster global technological progress and address pressing global issues.

Takeaways

• 🌟 China's transformation: The speaker reflects on China's journey from scarcity to abundance, especially in technological advancements over the past three decades.
• 🛒 Technological ubiquity: Modern China is characterized by the widespread availability of technology in everyday life, from facial recognition payments to robot deliveries.
• 🔋 Solar innovation: Chinese solar technology has made a global impact, providing lighting to homes in Africa and enabling access to music in remote areas.
• 📈 Economic growth: Despite being a developing country with a per capita GDP of just over 10,000 USD, China has experienced significant innovation and technological growth.
• 🌐 Global tech adoption: Chinese technology, such as TikTok and BYD electric vehicles, has achieved global adoption by offering accessible and cost-effective alternatives.
• 🚀 High-tech achievements: China has made strides in high-tech fields, conducting the first quantum video call and launching passenger-carrying drones.
• 🤝 Collaborative ecosystem: The success of China's tech industry is attributed to a collaborative ecosystem involving universities, national labs, industries, and substantial funding.
• 🏆 'Juguo' system: China's whole nation approach, or 'juguo' system, has been instrumental in mobilizing national resources and achieving strategic goals, such as becoming a leader in EV production.
• 📊 'Mayor economy': A decentralized economic model driven by local governments has played a significant role in fostering innovation and supporting tech companies, as exemplified by the case of Nio.
• 🌳 Environmental and social costs: The speaker acknowledges the environmental degradation and inefficient investments as part of the costs of China's rapid development and innovation.
• 🌍 Mutual learning and competition: The script suggests that competition and mutual learning between nations, such as the US and China, can drive technological advancement and improve global living standards.

Q & A

What was the living condition like in China when the speaker was born in the early 1980s?

The speaker describes the living conditions in China during the early 1980s as a place of scarcity, with rationed food, communal kitchens, and weekly blackouts in Beijing.

How has China transformed in terms of technological power over the past three decades according to the speaker?

The speaker notes that China has evolved from a place of scarcity to a country of abundance, especially in technological power, with advancements in high tech, business tech, and everyday tech that are limited only by one's imagination.

What personal anecdotes does the speaker share to illustrate the technological advancements in China?

The speaker shares anecdotes such as buying a can of Coke by scanning their face, receiving toothpaste from a robot in a hotel, and witnessing people in remote Tibetan mountains listening to music with Walkmans powered by solar cells.

What is the speaker's profession and how does their background inform their perspective on China's technological growth?

The speaker is an economist with a foot in London for research, a foot in China with family and work, and an educational background in the US. This multifaceted experience allows them to understand and articulate the complexities of China's technological growth.

What is the 'juguo' system mentioned in the script and how does it contribute to China's technological innovation?

The 'juguo' system is described as a 'whole nation' approach where national resources are mobilized behind strategic goals, similar to how the US government has backed groundbreaking technologies. This system has been instrumental in fostering an innovation ecosystem in China.

How does the speaker define 'innovation' in the context of the script?

The speaker defines innovation not only as inventing new technologies from zero to one but also as new applications, business models, or processes that make operations leaner, cleaner, and more productive.

What role do local governments play in supporting tech companies in China, as described in the script?

Local governments in China play a significant role by injecting funds, organizing supply chains, and creating an environment conducive to the growth of tech companies, as illustrated by the case of Nio and the local government of Hefei.

What is the term 'mayor economy' and how does it differ from the centralized approach?

The 'mayor economy' refers to a decentralized economic model that encourages creativity from the ground up, contrasting with the perception of a centralized approach dominated by the state.

How does the speaker describe the relationship between local governments and entrepreneurs in China?

The speaker describes it as a marriage between hyper-charged local officials and intrepid entrepreneurs, where local governments act as one-stop shops, providing support and resources to help tech companies thrive.

What are the potential global implications of the economic disengagement between the US and China, as mentioned in the script?

The speaker suggests that the trillion dollars at stake due to economic disengagement could be better spent on global issues such as eradicating malaria, ending world hunger, and conserving biodiversity.

What is the speaker's final message regarding the importance of technological innovation and international cooperation?

The speaker's final message emphasizes the need for the cheapest and best technologies for a brighter future and a cleaner Earth, advocating for international cooperation over competition and dominance.