US attempts to curb China's sci-tech innovation exposes hegemony mindset

The US attempts to contain China's sci-tech innovation and development have exposed its deep-rooted hegemony mindset and are doomed to fail.

The White House is increasing technical "cooperation" with its allies in the 6G research and development, with a clear goal to curb China's innovation in the 6G field.

The so-called "cooperation," ignoring the spirit of openness and sharing, will not achieve a favorable result, as it implies that its participants shall cut off any cooperation or exchanges with China.

In terms of investing in technology, former US Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said at the CNBC Technology Executive Council Summit earlier this month that "the key right now for the US in dealing with China is to develop deterrents, the ability to show China that we are strengthening our position with regards to the ability to respond to anything China can do."

From the remarks made by Panetta, the information is clear that China's achievements in independent sci-tech innovation were treated as a threat to the interests of the United States. It is a real hegemony mindset labeling China as an imaginary rival in technological competition.

With such a hegemony mindset, the United States is trying to build a "digital iron curtain" against China, which if successful, will split the world into two separate tech ecosystems.

As ABC News of Australia, a key US ally, correctly pointed out, the "tech war" unilaterally launched by the United States against China will "cost the world dearly."

Setting artificial barriers to sci-tech exchanges will hurt the flow of capital, talent and information, and cast a shadow over innovation.

The curb on China's 6G development is not a fresh story. The United States has not only banned products of Chinese tech company Huawei from its own networks, but also pressured other countries to do the same. It has also barred US companies from supplying software and components to Chinese tech companies.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said the United States should realize that bullying and suppression cannot stop the development of China's high-tech enterprises or maintain the US monopoly.

"The best way to keep one's lead is through constant self-improvement, not by blocking others' development," Hua said.

China welcomes healthy competition, which can lead to progress and is good for the world, including China and the United States.

China has made remarkable contributions to the sci-tech innovation of humankind, without any intention of beating others. Instead, it only seeks to surpass itself.

The country will uphold the central role of innovation in its modernization drive and take self-reliance in science and technology as the strategic underpinning for national development.

"We do not have the strategy for hegemony. We only have the strategy for development," said Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Le Yucheng, during an interview in July. "Our goal is to enable the Chinese people to live a better life and realize their aspiration for a better life."

The practice of hegemony is the outdated product of the jungle era. The contemporary world calls for the democratization of the international order. Any intention to seek hegemony is destined to fail.