Editorial

Citation

Yu, J. and Adams, J. (2010), "Editorial", Journal of Science and Technology Policy in China, Vol. 1 No. 1. https://doi.org/10.1108/jstpc.2010.43801aaa.001

Editorial

Article Type: Editorial From: Journal of Science and Technology Policy in China, Volume 1, Issue 1

Since its accession into the WTO, the People’s Republic of China’s spending on research and development (R&D) activity has increased by more than 20 per cent per year, thereby enabling China to become one of the world’s highest investors in R&D activities. This development has and continues to create a fundamental shift in the international distribution of knowledge. For many years, China has been seen just as the world’s low-cost workshop, but since the beginning of the twenty-first century it has begun to display remarkable signs of ingenuity, innovation and skill in many areas of scientific and technological endeavour. A knowledge-based economy is evolving in China and the policy-driven effects are very apparent.

It is predicted that the rise of China, alongside other large emerging countries, will possibly reshape the global “science and technology landscape” and come to have– if not having already – a great influence on the policies of the world’s governments, industrial firms and universities. As the first international academic journal dedicated to Science and Technology Policy related to China, the Journal of Science and Technology Policy in China (JSTPC) will explore the significance of these developments, in terms of future growth and the competitive position of China among the global knowledge economies.

JSTPC will consider any high quality academic research article in the field of policy and management of innovation, R&D, and science and technology relative to China in the globalized context.

The leading paper in the inaugural issue of JSTPC is Xin Fang’s paper which reviews the transformation process of China’s science and technology system and the linkages between globalization and the transformation requirements of the system during the past two decades. The paper by Richard P. Suttmeier discusses the historical, current, and future prospects of science and technology cooperation between China and the USA, the biggest developing country and the biggest developed country in the world. Using the technology road-mapping methodology, Zhenxing Li and Jiayu Chen’s paper has set out the future routes of the strategic technology development in China and highlights the importance of indigenous innovations to upgrade manufacturing capacity and for these home-grown innovations to be more knowledge-based. Peilei Fan’s paper depicts the innovation development process at the sectoral level with an in-depth case of the telecom-equipment industry, one of China’s most competitive industries. Sheng Zhu and Yongjiang Shi’s paper explores whether Shanzhai manufacturing is becoming a new alternative way for Chinese manufacturing firms to achieve competitive advantage. These latter two papers put some focus on the implications for China’s technology policies. These articles are indicative of the diversity of issues and of the theoretical and empirical analyses which the journal wishes to maintain.

The journal will also publish other book reviews and an academic discussion section focusing on Science and Technology Policy and Management issues in China and East Asia.

The journal’s uniqueness thus lies in integrating fundamental and empirical research with policy debates. It aims at serving the interests of colleagues in government, universities, business and other institutions as well as investment agencies. The journal will provide for ongoing dialogue between scholars and practitioners. The editors are committed to a fast turn around on behalf of contributors to the journal and to excellence in the quality of research that will be published in this journal.

Jiang Yu, John Adams