The report, ASPI’s Two-Decade Critical Technology Tracker: The Rewards of Long-Term Research Investment, provides a comprehensive analysis of global trends in high-impact research across 64 critical technologies over the past two decades (2003-2023). Produced by the Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI), the report highlights how China has emerged as a dominant leader in most critical technologies, surpassing the United States in research output for 57 of the 64 technologies analyzed. The report also identifies key global shifts in research leadership, with India and other emerging economies increasing their presence in the top five rankings for various technologies. The analysis emphasizes the importance of sustained investment in research and development, cautioning that countries that reduce their investment risk losing their competitive edge in these critical areas. The report is intended to inform policymakers, researchers, and industry leaders about the strategic implications of these trends and the potential risks of technological monopolies. The report also includes projections for future research leadership up to 2030, offering insights into which countries and institutions are likely to dominate in key technologies in the coming years.
Authors
- Pages
- 72
- Published in
- Australia
Table of Contents
- Executive summary 6
- What is ASPI’s Critical Technology Tracker? 8
- Key findings 9
- Global and country findings 9
- Technology monopoly risk metric results 13
- Institutional findings: US tech companies, government agencies and CAS dominate 13
- Methodology in brief 14
- Why does historical research performance matter? 15
- China’s research lead and capability: sometimes it’s ahead; other times it’s trying to catch up 18
- The Chinese Academy of Sciences: innovation, commercialisation and whole-of-nation strategy 21
- Technology deep dives 22
- 1. Advanced integrated circuit design and fabrication 22
- 2. Natural language processing 25
- 3. Quantum computing 27
- 4. High-specification machining processes 29
- 5. Advanced aircraft engines 31
- 6. Drones, swarming and collaborative robots 32
- 7. Electric batteries 34
- 8. Photovoltaics 36
- 9. Genetic engineering 37
- 10. Advanced radiofrequency communication 39
- Conclusion 41
- Appendix 1: Top 5 countries visual snapshot (2019–2023) 43
- Appendix 2: Detailed methodology 48
- Appendix 3: Summary of historical results (2003–2023) 57
- Appendix 4: Selection of government agencies/laboratories in the Critical Technology Tracker 61
- Notes 63
- Acronyms and abbreviations 69
