Global Scans · China · Weekly Summary

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WHAT'S NEXT?: Any disruption in economic activity between China and the United States will necessarily affect other Asian and world economies. How China handles Donald Trump's administration, its relationship with Russia and develops its leadership ambitions will be key areas to watch intently in the coming years.

• [New] China's New Generation AI Development Plan aims to make China the world's premier AI innovation center by 2030, backed by massive funding - China is cultivating a homegrown AI industry projected to be worth $150 billion by 2030. AI and VoIP Blog
• [New] China accelerated chip autonomy under its Make AI Chips by 2027 program, allocating $20 billion for R&D and production facilities. The Word 360
• [New] China announces its Next Generation AI Development Plan, including goals to be a global AI leader by 2030 - a plan that explicitly calls for military AI advancements. TS2 Space
• [New] The more China races toward achieving techno-industrial supremacy, especially in emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, the more it will be regarded in Washington as an existential threat to the U.S.-led global order. The Diplomat
• [New] Moreover, given that rare earth elements are one of China's most strategic levers in global supply chains, especially in high-tech and defence industries, it is very unlikely that China will relinquish its influence over rare earth exports in the long term. China Briefing News
• [New] China has banned exports of some rare earths and critical minerals to the US, a move that threatens high-tech industries there. Australian Broadcasting Corporation
• [New] Expands heavy-duty hydrogen solutions through BeBoP project, targeting EU / China 2030 CO2 mandates, while Wuhan R&D center accelerates high-speed e-powertrain innovation. Ainvest
• [New] If regulations are too strict, we could see AI development flee to more permissive jurisdictions-likely China, which has shown it can innovate rapidly under centralized control. Educational Technology and Change Journal
• [New] DOD will lose in a world where it tries to rely on just 2-3% of the globe's R&D that it spends directly on defence unique solutions under defence unique processes, while China is able to leverage the other 97% in both open and illegitimate ways. American Enterprise Institute - AEI
• [New] With green-zone GPUs available once again, AI development in China will likely go into overdrive, as companies move beyond stopgap workarounds and resume full-scale model training and inference. Built In
• [New] R&D spending is expected to remain elevated, around 5% of total revenue or approximately $34 million for the full year, reflecting the strategic importance of developing advanced technologies for future growth and maintaining high-tech status in China for tax benefits. BeyondSPX
• [New] China AI development is guided by the New Generation AI Development Plan (2017), aiming to make China the global AI leader by 2030. The Business & Financial Times
• [New] Hongyan (China): The China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) plans to deploy nine LEO satellites as a pilot demonstration for the Hongyan system, which will ultimately comprise 320 satellites by 2025. International Defense Security & Technology
• [New] The new on-orbit supercomputing project was kicked off by the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) last week with the launch of 12 satellites of a planned 2800-satellite network. / China Republic World
• [New] China is to increase its R&D spending by at least 7% per year, i.e., faster than the projected GDP growth. PubMed Central (PMC)
• [New] China could overtake the United States in overall and government-financed R&D spending within a few years in purchasing power parity terms. Rand Corporation
• [New] While the United States is generally understood to have a lead in AI development, in part due to its access and control over the highest-end semiconductors used to train larger language models, China has declared its intention to become the global leader in AI by 2030. Business Executives for National Security |
• [New] By demonstrating an ability to innovate under sanctions, bypass Western technological barriers, and accelerate AI advancements on its own terms, China has sent a stark message: it can and will compete at the highest levels of AI development. Defense One
• [New] China, which has ambitions to lead global AI development by 2030, has placed regulatory focus on data security and national security. Eco-business
• [New] Rapid growth is expected in Asia Pacific, driven by expanding internet access and government support for digital transformation in countries like China, India, and Japan. Credence Research Inc.
• [New] China plans to ease the flow of rare earths and other restricted materials to the U.S. by designing a system that will exclude companies with ties to the U.S. military while fast-tracking export approvals for other firms. Edge and Odds -
• [New] China is expected to surpass $2 trillion in online sales by 2027. Burst Commerce
• [New] Geographically, while North America currently leads, the Asia-Pacific region, particularly China, is poised to take the lead in generative AI software applications by 2027. The Chronicle-Journal

Last updated: 17 November 2025