OT - Clean energy
Turtlepower,
sorry, didn't mean to offend.
The reading comprehension comment was a 2 parter: 1. both articles you've cited refer primarily to production and infrastructure build rather than the discovery of fundamental properties or processes which underlie the ultimate development commercial products; 2. shot-across-the-bow to people who read rascism into criticisms of national or political policies.
The bit about spending $440B over 10 yrs states obliquely "expected to go primarily" to research. I suspect folks in the PRC governing bodies have a different concept of research than I do. My cynical view is that the 'research' expenditures, IF they happen, will go mostly toward obtaining research rather than doing the research. However, covering both angles of that may include sponsoring students from the PRC to go universities and technologically based companies outside the PRC. Unfortunately, I'd be surprised if there are many royalty checks going out to the foreign companies and universities who can or do have patent claims on various technical processes and products in or from Chinese manufacturing plants. [i eagerly await data on royalties paid by PRC-based companies versus royalties claimed against PRC-based companies. Of course, I'd also be interested in the converse ;^)]
When I see graduate students from outside the PRC flocking to universites in the PRC, then I'll believe that China has a lead in technical discovery and innovation. I've never heard of single case although I've known many non-nationals who've gone to Japanese, Russian, Australian, German, French, .... US universities.
regards,
Charlie
