The current trade war between the US and China looks like a small piece in a much larger puzzle over world leadership in which China plays the part of the ascending challenger seeking to upset the existing balance of power. Technology and innovation seem to be Beijing’s weapons of choice in its frontal assault on Washington in sectors traditionally led by the US.

China is not only acquiring technology. Its ambitions include the regulation of international trade and global governance. Just what a China-led global order would look like is still unclear, but the inherent dangers of technology need to be meticulously assessed, as they have the potential to alter the core values of modern societies. To what extent will technology facilitate China’s rise?

 

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Table of Contents

Introduction

Paolo Magri, ISPI Director and Executive Vice President

1. Beijing: Ready for Global Technology Leadership?

Alessia Amighini, ISPI and University of Piemonte Orientale

2. China’s Technological Prowess: Implications for Global Alliances

Yu Jie, Chatham House

3. Competing over leadership: China vs the US

James Lewis, Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS)

4. A Green China. Impacts on Regional and Global Energy Security

Fabio Indeo, Center for Energy Governance and Security (EGS) and NATO Defense College Foundation

5. Case Study: China’s “Giant Leap” Towards Fintech

Paolo Giudici, University of Pavia