Once upon a time, America was most worried that China would catch up with them in the field of technology. Now, what America is increasingly struggling with is that China is moving too fast.
On June 23 local time, the American newspaper The New York Times wrote that the competitive landscape of technology between China and the United States has undergone profound changes. In a series of fields such as batteries, solar energy, rare metals, and even biomedicine, China is no longer just a follower; it is becoming one of the important sources of the world's most advanced technologies.
Facing the leading advantages of Chinese companies, the United States has fallen into a 'twisted' mindset: it is worried about being left behind by China, and wants to use globally leading technologies; at the same time, it is concerned that excessive reliance on China might have negative consequences.
American media focus on the battery manufacturing industry. In the factory of CATL, a leading Chinese battery manufacturer, robotic arms move like ballet dancers, twisting long metal strips into coils and shaping them into blocks. Once charged, these blocks become batteries that are exported worldwide.
Ningde Times factory's robotic arms, stock photo
Reports indicate that this Chinese company, which was established only 15 years ago, has become one of the representative enterprises in China's technological progress. The new type of battery it recently introduced is said to be capable of charging in less than 10 minutes, with a range of up to 400 kilometers. The charging speed is about three times that of most electric vehicle batteries currently available.
Thanks to this technological advantage, the batteries produced by Ningde Times have been widely used in a large number of new energy vehicles exported from China to global markets. Today, the company has over 20 factories worldwide, occupying about 40% of the global electric vehicle battery market and 30% of the energy storage battery market.
A spokesperson for Ningde Times said that the company is also paying attention to development opportunities in the US market. “If there are opportunities in the US market, we certainly want to participate.”
The New York Times reports that this shift has sparked intense debate within the United States.
Some American politicians believe that China has established a dominant position in key industries such as batteries through government subsidies and industrial policies, thereby weakening the industrial bases of other countries and expanding its global influence. They also highlight the incident last year when U.S. President Trump provoked a trade war, and China responded with restrictions on critical minerals. Based on this, they argue that there should be a reduction in dependence on Chinese technology and supply chains.
The chairman of the U.S. House Committee on China Issues, Republican Congressman John Muellerner, claimed that China’s use of subsidies to “suppress non-Chinese competitors and establish global dependence” would be a “serious mistake” if it entrusted a key industry to Chinese companies.
Another voice believes that if the United States refuses to cooperate with Chinese companies, it could lead to further decline in American companies in future industrial competition. By keeping the world’s most dynamic economies out of the market, it may also slow down technological progress and hinder efforts to address climate change.
"For decades, we have been accustomed to technological innovation originating from Western societies, but this is changing right now."
The newspaper also stated that the United States is at a turning point and must make a choice: either use Chinese battery products, which are cheaper and more technologically mature, or invest more resources in building an independent supply chain system.
American officials have always been firmly opposed to importing cars from China, believing that this would quickly destroy the American automotive industry. However, there is a significant disagreement among them regarding batteries used in cars, power plants, and data centers, as most of the major battery manufacturers are foreign companies.
General Motors of America is trying to collaborate with Korean companies to establish a non-Chinese battery supply chain. Ford Motor Company of America has regarded CATL as an important partner. Currently, CATL supplies batteries to Tesla and has granted Ford the necessary technologies for production in Michigan and Kentucky factories.
In recent years, the U.S. government has continuously restricted Chinese companies under the pretext of “national security.” In 2023, Glenn Youngkin, the governor of Virginia, halted the project involving Ford and CATL’s factory construction on the grounds of “national security.” In 2025, the U.S. government listed CATL as part of the so-called “list of Chinese military companies.” CATL stated that this designation is “completely wrong,” and the company has never been involved in any military-related business activities.
Reports say that the United States have imposed many obstacles to Chinese investment, including national security reviews, restrictions on land purchases, and high tariffs. However, as Trump has signaled a desire to improve economic relations with China, some companies are trying to re-evaluate their potential for cooperation.
In May this year, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Berdon revealed that the U.S and China plan to establish an investment coordination mechanism to determine which “non-strategic, non-sensitive areas” are suitable for Chinese enterprises to invest in the United States.
The market has thus started to pay attention to whether there may be signs of relaxation in Sino-US investment cooperation. Gu Rui, a director of the American Rongding Group, believes that American automakers such as Ford and Stellantis hope to obtain advanced technologies through cooperation with Chinese companies, thereby reducing costs and maintaining product competitiveness.
They're preparing for potential easing of relations between China and its international partners in order to secure future business opportunities. She said, "Everyone is now trying to gauge the direction of the wind."
However, Gu Rui pointed out that China is also becoming more cautious about the outflow of key technologies. While China encourages some companies to expand into international markets, there are still many questions regarding whether they can share their technologies with foreign partners in strategic industries such as batteries.
She mentioned that China has recently imposed restrictions on the export of battery manufacturing technology and established a more stringent mechanism for reviewing foreign technical investments. China’s top priority is to ‘guard the crown jewel of technology’. As for more obvious forms of technology transfer, she believes the Chinese side will be very strict. China has already taken measures to prevent American technology companies from acquiring artificial intelligence companies and new energy technologies.
According to The New York Times, NIO currently has approximately 185,000 employees, of whom 22,000 are engaged in research and development work. More than 700 of its employees hold doctoral degrees. Its success is due both to continuous high-level investment in research and development, and to the long-term policy support provided by the Chinese government for the development of the new energy vehicle industry. Over the past decade or so, the Chinese government has continuously introduced subsidy policies for new energy vehicles and has promoted industrial upgrading through industrial planning, scientific research investment, and talent development systems.
The United States has long criticized China's industrial subsidy policies, claiming they distort market competition. However, some experts and industry insiders believe that China's recent breakthroughs are due to its continuous investment in research, education, and talent development. These are precisely the experiences that the United States should seriously learn from.
American pharmaceutical giant Pfizer's chairman and CEO Albert said in March that China's rapidly growing scientific capabilities have become a force that cannot be ignored in the global technological competition.
He predicts that China is expected to surpass the United States within this decade and become an important center for biomedical innovation globally. He also pointed out that China has been continuously promoting regulatory reforms, patent protection, scientific research funding, and talent cultivation over the years, which have ultimately led to its current level of innovation capabilities.
They built up their own scientific system. Abel said, “This is exactly where we need improvement.”
