Xi dismisses China slowdown concerns with a pitch for supremacy in global tech race – Firstpost

During China’s annual legislative meeting, President Xi Jinping told his government that nothing should hold Beijing back from being a technological superpower. While dismissing an economic slowdown all together, Xi said that neither heavy local government debt nor a trade war with the United States should emerge as a roadblock to China’s technological development.

The meeting was held in Beijing and comprised of members of the National People’s Congress, The New York Times reported. The meeting was known for giving Congress delegates, although handpicked by the party, a platform to chide officials over problems like pollution. There were even rare flashes of discord among senior officials.

However, things have changed over the years, and Xi has turned the meeting into a meticulously orchestrated, weeklong salute to himself and his vision. In this year’s meeting, Xi urged China to work towards the advancement and development of diverse technologies, including artificial intelligence, biotechnology and new weapons.

“Xi has seen how decades of investment into science by the U.S. government after World War II was a knockout success for the United States and wants to replicate that,”  Jimmy Goodrich, who studies China’s science policies as a senior adviser at RAND, told NYT. “He believes strongly that only by being more self-sufficient and a global leader in science can China achieve success in upgrading its economy, boosting its military capabilities and achieving world-leader status,” he added.

What happened at the meeting?

Xi’s agenda dictated this year’s meeting. On the first day of the congress, Xi held meetings with the delegates of the Jiangsu Province — an industrial powerhouse — and told them to “seize on scientific and technological innovation.” On the second day, Xi reportedly heard annual reports from scientists and education officials and insisted that the development of education plays a crucial role in turning China into a “science and technology great power.”

According to the NYT, on the third day, Xi was seen in his green military uniform and held a meeting with the members of China’s People’s Liberation Army. He ordered the country’s military to be more efficient in implementing modernization plans. The public summary following the session mentioned that China is working on next-generation jet fighters, unmanned drones, new submarines and other weapons.

Xi’s ambition of a technological revolution was also reflected in the fact that the Chinese government’s science and technology budget this year is equal to about $172 billion, second to the United States. However, some critics are now arguing that Xi’s futuristic goals can come at the cost of providing help to Chinese citizens struggling to make ends meet.

With inputs from agencies.