In the past three decades, China has copied technology developed in other countries.
That has allowed the country to become the world's factory, producing cheap exports that have driven its remarkable economic growth.
But now the government not only wants to make products, it wants China to design them as well.
"Until now we've focused on manufacturing," says Gao Xudong, a professor of management at Tsinghua University in Beijing.
"But for the next step, we need to spend more money on science, creating more knowledge, and contributing more to the world," he said.
At a solar panel factory on the outskirts of Beijing you can see how innovation is being encouraged.
There is a research and development laboratory where the panels are tested to make them more efficient. But ultimately the research team wants to create its own product.
The authorities here want to increase the number of patents registered by Chinese companies and individuals.
Critics say the atmosphere in China does not encourage creativity The factory's manager, Tian Jiang, says that the company is receiving tax breaks to pursue its research. He believes that the only way to remain competitive is to keep developing.
Thinking differently
But critics say that innovation needs more than just government and tax breaks.
It also requires an atmosphere in which creativity is encouraged.
China is an authoritarian state. And much of the teaching in the country is by rote-learning.
"One of the phrases that's often used in China is the nail that sticks up gets hammered down or the bird that flies first gets shot down," says Patrick Chovanec, an American economist based in Beijing.
"This is not an attitude that's going to get people to think differently. You have a society that's geared towards conformity, stability and predictably."
Back at Mr Wu's workshop, he is hard at work.
He says his dream is to build a robot that can do all the housework.
It may seem like an impossible task but the authorities here want people to think big.
That has allowed the country to become the world's factory, producing cheap exports that have driven its remarkable economic growth.
But now the government not only wants to make products, it wants China to design them as well.
"Until now we've focused on manufacturing," says Gao Xudong, a professor of management at Tsinghua University in Beijing.
"But for the next step, we need to spend more money on science, creating more knowledge, and contributing more to the world," he said.
At a solar panel factory on the outskirts of Beijing you can see how innovation is being encouraged.
There is a research and development laboratory where the panels are tested to make them more efficient. But ultimately the research team wants to create its own product.
The authorities here want to increase the number of patents registered by Chinese companies and individuals.
Critics say the atmosphere in China does not encourage creativity Thinking differently
But critics say that innovation needs more than just government and tax breaks.
It also requires an atmosphere in which creativity is encouraged.
China is an authoritarian state. And much of the teaching in the country is by rote-learning.
"One of the phrases that's often used in China is the nail that sticks up gets hammered down or the bird that flies first gets shot down," says Patrick Chovanec, an American economist based in Beijing.
"This is not an attitude that's going to get people to think differently. You have a society that's geared towards conformity, stability and predictably."
Back at Mr Wu's workshop, he is hard at work.
He says his dream is to build a robot that can do all the housework.
It may seem like an impossible task but the authorities here want people to think big.
No comments:
Post a Comment