HONG KONG (AP) — China’s Premier Li Qiang on Wednesday defended the country’s technological advancements as an opportunity for the world rather than a threat.Li also said the country’s heavy state subsidies were not the main reason for the rapid rise of its high-tech industries, at a time when Western officials have complained that China’s state support for industries from artificial intelligence to electric vehicles has provided an unfair competitive edge.China’s No. 2 leader made the remarks in his speech at the opening plenary of the World Economic Forum’s Annual Meeting of the New Champions, known as the “Summer Davos,” held this week in the northeastern Chinese coastal city of Dalian.He acknowledged there have been growing global concerns about China’s technological innovations, with some pointing to the term “China Shock 2.0,” as they see the nation’s high-tech boom as a threat to many advanced economies.
Instead, that should be seen as “China Opportunity 2.0,” he said.“From the global development perspective, ‘China Opportunity 2.0’ means there’ll be broader access to advanced technologies and more widely shared benefits,” Li said.
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“China’s emerging technologies and products are bringing to the world not shocks, but opportunities,” he added. “Not threats, but empowerment.”China’s tech advancements and growing exports of EVs, solar panels, chips, batteries, AI and robotics have offered affordable options to global markets, but also have raised criticisms among governments concerned about issues such as oversupply. Some are taking protectionist measures.
