Technology

Indeed, the goalposts keep shifting. We transitioned from claims that China would be devastated to asserting they remain slightly behind the cutting edge. China is a command economy that's channeling resources into this at state level. It's obvious that they will replicate Western tech already proven feasible. Moreover, developing technology is inherently easier the second time, as foundational knowledge of the required path already exists, even if specific details might be uncertain. Finally, China can simply attract top-tier researchers from around the globe, just as the US does. If a critical bottleneck remains unsolved domestically, they can simply incentivize experts from Samsung, TSMC, or similar firms to relocate and implement solutions. The entire premise of "holding China back technologically" was absurd beyond belief. It's incredible that people are still clinging to it in face of all evidence.