China, the USA and Technological Supremacy in Europe

Description

The book explores how technological competition is linked to the geopolitical contest between the US and China, and why Europe and the European Union (EU) have become involved in this competition for technological supremacy. China’s political and economic rise, the concurrent US withdrawal from the region, and the rise of new technologies such as 5G, and AI creates a new and more unstable geopolitical environment in the region. In addition, the EU, far from being a global player, finds it increasingly difficult to play a leading role. The book analyses the nature of the ultimate goal of technological competition between the United States and China and shows how and why did the EU become the centre of this struggle. The author argues that the EU has become the new battlefield of the technological struggle since wealthy societies in the EU make this competition attractive and profitable to both the US and China. By shedding light on the geopolitical motivations of China and the question of whether the US can contain China’s advance in this domain, the book will be of interest to practitioners in the fields of international relations and political science as well as policymakers and analysts employed by diplomatic services, multilateral organizations, and non-governmental organizations. Cover Half Title Series Page Title Page Copyright Page Table of Contents List of tables Author biography Preface Acknowledgments 1 The battle for technology: the global arena 1.1 Technology as a key factor of a superpower’s influence 1.1.1 “The rise of China” debate 1.1.2 The dilemma of “engagement versus decoupling” 1.1.3 The “developmental state” narrative 1.1.4 The EU, the excellent “prey” 1.2 Historical and recent technology developments in China and the United States 1.2.1 China 1.2.2 The United States 1.2.3 Human resources 1.2.4 R&D at the corporate level 1.2.4.1 Market value 1.2.5 R&D expenditures of corporations 1.2.5.1 Venture capital investments 1.2.5.2 5G and AI 2 The war of arguments: the European battlefield 2.1 EU-China debates 2.1.1 Economic development debates 2.1.2 Political debates 2.2 A summary of the EU’s position on China 2.3 Technological development and regulatory framework in the EU 2.3.1 Technological development and its policies in the EU 2.3.1.1 Weak corporate financing 2.3.1.2 Weak public funding 2.3.1.3 The weakness in innovation and 5G sector 2.3.2 The regulatory framework 3 Economic and political interests of the major powers: the United States, Germany, and Russia 3.1 The changing American stance on China 3.1.1 From the “pivot to Asia” concept to the “new cold war” 3.1.1.1 Reshoring 3.1.1.2 The consequences of technological decoupling 3.1.2 The link between new technologies and the rise of new authoritarian regimes? 3.1.3 Fraying ties with Europe 3.2 The core interests of German industry 3.2.1 German and Chinese trade ties 3.2.2 Direct investments in Germany and China 3.2.3 Policy dilemmas 3.3 The balancing Russia 3.3.1 From “Greater Europe” to “Greater Eurasia” 3.3.2 Potential in technology cooperation with China 3.3.3 Unbalanced trade and investment relations 3.3.4 Policy dilemmas 4 Chinese investment and 5G cooperation in the EU: France, Germany, and Italy 4.1 Germany: a case study 4.1.1 Introduction 4.1.2 The legal framework 4.1.3 Technology-intensive sectors 4.2 France: a case study 4.2.1 Introduction 4.2.2 The legal framework 4.2.3 The French approach to investments and China 4.2.4 Chinese investments in French technology-intensive sectors? 4.3 Italy: a case study 4.3.1 Introduction 4.3.2 The legal framework 4.3.3 Technology-intensive sectors and investments 5 Chinese investment and 5G networks in the Visegrád countries 5.1 The historical background 5.2 The work of division in Europe 5.3 The consequences of backwardness and asymmetrical dependence 5.4 Cooperation between the CEE countries and China 5.5 The Visegrád Four 5.5.1 The Czech Republic 5.5.2 Slovakia 5.5.3 Poland 5.5.4 Hungary 6 Conclusions 6.1 Technology in the Chinese economic model 6.2 The global picture 6.3 The EU’s China policy 6.4 Major powers: the United States, Germany, and Russia 6.5 China polices of the three old members of the EU 6.6 China policy in the Visegrád countries 6.7 Challenges Index