According to a recent survey, China is ahead of the United States in the critical ability to develop basic science and technology, turn those developments into products and services, and then market them to the world. The results of the 2007 "High Technology Indicators" study, as carried out by the Georgia Institute of Technology, show China first overall in this category, with the USA, Germany and Japan trailing. (The US did rank first in many important categories.)

The findings were published in the Georgia Institute of Technology Research News. The school is commonly known as Georgia Tech, one the most highly respected technical institutions in North America.

This is the first time that the US has ranked behind another nation overall since WW II.

The study compared 33 nations in "technical standing" in exporting technical products.

"China has changed the world economic landscape in technology," noted Alan Parker of Georgia Tech’s Policy and Assessment Centre. Parker added, "when you take China's low cost manufacturing and focus on technology, then combine them with the increasing emphasis on research and development, the result ultimately won't leave much room for other countries."

"For scientists and engineers, China has less than half of what we do but they have a lot of growing room," said Nils Neuman, co-author of the National Science Foundation, sponsors of this study.


A suggestion has been made that the western world establish an equalization levy. Yet with different labour, materials and production costs costs worldwide, one wonders how such a goal might be reached.

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