Absolute GDP values aren’t very trustworthy just like the absolute COVID numbers that China publishes are not trustworthy. On the other hand, it’s hard to fake exponential growth over longer timeframes.
But whereas scientific and engineering knowledge transfer fairly easily to any sufficiently bright population anywhere in the world, the ability to organize a society such that the scientists and engineers can contribute to societal goals is not so easy, and Russia is a good example
Russia mainly exports resources and not technology. They indeed didn’t manage to organize their society in a way that allows engineers to contribute effectively.
China is different. They manage to export a lot of technology. They are the most efficient producer of solar cells.
If we look at their domestic market, they build better trains than the West. They have better digital payment.
Baidu just won a license to start offering fully autonomous robotaxis in some test cities. I think it’s plausible that China is better than the West in transferring engineering knowledge to products because their government is more willing to get regulatory barriers out of the way than Western governments are.
China also has a good startup culture with lots of Unicorns.
Absolute GDP values aren’t very trustworthy just like the absolute COVID numbers that China publishes are not trustworthy. On the other hand, it’s hard to fake exponential growth over longer timeframes.
Russia mainly exports resources and not technology. They indeed didn’t manage to organize their society in a way that allows engineers to contribute effectively.
China is different. They manage to export a lot of technology. They are the most efficient producer of solar cells.
If we look at their domestic market, they build better trains than the West. They have better digital payment.
Baidu just won a license to start offering fully autonomous robotaxis in some test cities. I think it’s plausible that China is better than the West in transferring engineering knowledge to products because their government is more willing to get regulatory barriers out of the way than Western governments are.
China also has a good startup culture with lots of Unicorns.