China, IP, and Innovation
By In this week’s Diplomat column, I muse a bit on China, technological innovation, and IP law:
A recent report by the Center for a New American Security (CNAS) gives some advice with respect to retaining America’s technological advantage in an era of disruptive technological innovation and diffusion. The authors, like Huang, worry that the U.S. government is not making sufficient investments in technologies with great potential, such as directed energy weapons, advanced unmanned aerial vehicles, and human modification. The report paints a grim picture, suggesting that the consequence of falling behind in any or all of these technologies could be the unsettling of the existing Pacific balance of power.
Unfortunately, the report fails to mention the legal environment in which scientists and engineers pursue technological innovation.