Now the relative strength of American science and technology is gradually declining. Although in the global 100 ranking of the most valuable technology brands in 2022, the United States still has the largest number, with * * *, and China has * * *, with 26, ranking second. The countries ranked third to fifth are Japan (9), India (4) and South Korea (4), and the number of other countries is even smaller. The United States has the strongest scientific and technological strength, but its lead is declining.
So why is the relative strength of American science and technology declining now? Since most American technology companies are concentrated in Silicon Valley, let me take a look at the situation in Silicon Valley.
Silicon Valley is a narrow strip between San Francisco and San Jose, which is about 48km long from north to south and16km wide from east to west. There are a large number of high-tech enterprises here, such as Apple, Intel, Hewlett-Packard, Lockheed Missile and Space Company. , is the forerunner and model of the development of high-tech industries in the world.
Why does Silicon Valley become the most important high-tech industrial zone in the world? It is because there are six geographical conditions in Silicon Valley: first, the geographical position is superior and the environment is beautiful; Second, the climate is pleasant; Third, convenient transportation; Fourth, the talent highland in the world; 5. Market stability; 6. Innovative environment and culture. Among these six location conditions, there are many places that can meet the first three conditions, so the main reasons for the rise of Silicon Valley are the highland of talents, stable market, innovative environment and innovative culture all over the world. But now these factors are changing.
First, its status as a highland of talents in the world is declining.
The first is that the attractiveness of the United States to talents is declining. 38% of the existing population in Silicon Valley was born abroad, 65% of talents in computer and mathematics related fields came from abroad, and 565,438+0% of natural science researchers were born abroad. However, due to the relative decline of American economic strength, the image of the United States as a moral benchmark in the world is being shattered, and its attraction to scientific and technological talents in other countries in the world is also declining.
Second, the United States restricts China and other international students from going to the United States, restricts Sino-US scientific and technological exchanges, and reduces the source of scientific and technological talents in the United States. Former US President Trump issued Presidential Decree 10043 when he was in office, which restricted some China students from studying in the United States. The reason is that China students will spy on the cutting-edge technology of the United States and pose a threat to the United States, so a ban was issued. It is said that the United States wants China students to study American humanities in the United States and restricts China students from studying science and technology in the United States.
As China's scientific and technological talents are an important source of talents for the development of Silicon Valley, restricting China's scientific and technological talents from going to the United States will inevitably affect the development of Silicon Valley and boost the development of China's science and technology.
Second, the market scale on which the further development of Silicon Valley depends is shrinking.
First of all, an important reason for the rise of Silicon Valley is that the US Department of Defense has steadily purchased electronic products in Silicon Valley, which once accounted for 40% of the total output value of Silicon Valley and was the largest and most stable customer in Silicon Valley. This enables high-tech enterprises in Silicon Valley to maintain a virtuous circle and boost the development of high-tech enterprises in Silicon Valley. However, as the US military spending gradually approaches the upper limit, the possibility of a sharp increase in its military spending is getting smaller and smaller, and the boosting effect of US military purchases on the development of Silicon Valley will also become smaller and smaller.
Secondly, the Sino-US science and technology war initiated by the United States has made it increasingly difficult for many high-tech enterprises in Silicon Valley to export their products to China and other countries. As China is the largest market for high-tech products in the world, not exporting products to China will inevitably destroy the virtuous circle of R&D and the production of these enterprises and hinder their continued development. At the same time, due to China's efforts in independent research and development, in addition to achieving product self-sufficiency, it will also export high-tech products, making American high-tech enterprises face fierce competition from China in other markets.
Third, the advantages of innovation environment and innovation culture are weakening.
Because innovation environment and innovation culture refer to the broad inclusiveness of Silicon Valley culture and its social and cultural concepts of advocating entrepreneurship, tolerating failure and encouraging adventure. This makes it possible for all people of different nationalities, colors and genders, as long as they are innovative and creative, to start businesses in Silicon Valley, thus bringing endless vitality to the development of Silicon Valley. But this is not unrepeatable. Now some places in the world are learning from the experience of Silicon Valley and have achieved good results.
As can be seen from the above, because Silicon Valley is the high-tech industrial zone with the most concentrated high-tech enterprises in the United States, its development is facing problems and its development potential is gradually declining. Therefore, we judge that the relative strength of American science and technology is weakening, and it will face fierce competition from other countries in the world, especially China. For example, in the competition of 5G, the United States lost to China, and in the technology of ultra-high-speed missiles, the United States also lost to China and Russia. Now China has announced the establishment of a "near-Earth asteroid defense system", and the United States is very depressed.
Since technological hegemony is the basis of other American hegemony, we can also draw the conclusion that no matter how crazy the United States looks now, its strength is weakening and its hegemony is declining.