China on the Way to Global Technology Leadership

China’s science and technology complex is considered with account for the dynamics of its development and the structure that has developed to date. Particular attention is paid to the areas that are viewed as the most promising in the course of the fourth industrial revolution; the situation in these technological areas is compared with that in the United States. In addition, the situation in the field of intellectual property in China is analyzed: it is shown how the country has transformed from the main “violator” of intellectual rights into a significant player in the global market of new technologies. The problems that China faces along this path, including the phenomenon of “junk” patents, are highlighted. The prospect of creating a relatively independent technological circuit in China is assessed in the light of the general strategy proclaimed in 2021 to rely mainly on internal factors of growth and development.