Science and Technology Innovation and the Reshaping of the International Landscape

Wang Cungang

Science and technology are the first productive force. They play a revolutionary role in the development of history. The emergence of major science and technology innovations usually leads to S&T revolutions and industrial changes， which in turn stimulate the renewal of methods of production and trigger major changes in other aspects of human society. In the field of international relations， such major changes are mainly reflected in the shifting of the international landscape. In the present era， the convergence of a new round of science and technology innovation and industrial change is driving the reshaping of the international landscape.

The Historical Course of Science and Technology Innovation and Its Inevitable Tendency to Influence International Landscape

I.The Historical Course of S&T Innovation and Revolution

Scientific discovery is the precursor of S&T innovation， major scientific discovery brings S&T innovation， which in turn leads to S&T revolution， i.e.， promoting a qualitative leap in human cognition and utilization of the objective world. Historically， scientific discoveries have always led to technological innovation， which in turn has fed scientific research and even triggered a major paradigm shift in scientific research. When technological innovation enters the production process， it changes productivity and production relations and triggers industrial progress， i.e.， the application of new technologies， new processes， and advanced methods of production as well as business management models. The accumulation of technological innovation， especially the aggregation effect of major technological innovations triggers technological revolution. Technological revolution means fundamental changes in the physical means of human transformation of the objective world， which directly gives rise to industrial revolution.

From the perspective of development， it is a trend that the relationship between S&T innovation and industrial progress is getting closer and closer， which is manifested by the shortening cycle of S&T innovation as well as the cycle of transformation of science into technology. The interval between the first two science and technology revolutions is about 200 years， while that between the second and the third ones is only a few decades. In addition， the contents， scale and impact of a latter S&T innovation or revolution usually greatly exceed those of its predecessor， thus presenting an “expansion” situation on the basis of “acceleration”. It makes innovation in science and technology and industrial revolution gradually evolve from a separate state to a coexistence and co-progress one. S&T innovation has shaped the social practice with the goal of “acceleration”， which saves labor time， that is， promotes productivity development.

II.Science and Technology Innovation Profoundly Affects National Development and International Balance of Power

The extensive use of fruits of S&T innovation in social production processes has a profound impact on national development by changing methods of production. Countries with better capability of S&T innovation can usually complete their economic transformation successfully and continuously improve their national power on the basis of rapid development while countries that are relatively weak in this dimension are unable to provide a strong driving force for economic development， resulting in a decline in national power. Changes in national power， in turn， affect a countrys ability to maintain security or expand international space. S&T innovation affects the changing international landscape by causing changes in the international balance of power. Initially， this effect was limited to a small number of countries which therefore gained international leadership due to their significant economic and military comparative advantages. For example， the first technology revolution took place mainly in a few European countries such as the UK， France and Germany， which became the dominant power in the world landscape at that time. The second technology revolution also affected only a few countries on both sides of the Atlantic， such as the United States and Germany who also became world powers at that time. The United States became the worlds leading superpower after World War II by virtue of its leading position in science and technology. After the end of the Cold War， especially since the 21st century， the S&T innovation capacity of emerging economies has been increasing. This has become an important force to promote a new round of adjustment of the international landscape.

III.Science and Technology Innovation Has Continuously Promoted the Evolution of International Rules and International Norms

S&T innovation has expanded the space of human activities and changed the ways and contents of human activities， so the adjustment of existing rules and the creation of new rules have become necessary. For a long time， human social practices and activities were carried out on the earths surface， and the level of S&T development defined the spatial scope of human activities， and activities beyond this scope existed only in science fantasy. However， since the mid-1950s， with the development of space technology and deep-sea technology bringing mankind to a new stage of exploring and utilizing cosmic and oceanic space， the scope of human activities in physical space has greatly expanded. The development of information and Internet technology has led to the formation of a virtual space， i.e.， digital cyberspace， which is very different from the physical one， generating more complex social and international relations. In order to guarantee the performance of global governance and maintain the relative stability of international order， the existing international rules and norms are constantly adjusted and new ones are constantly emerging. The development and implementation of the International Code of Conduct for Outer Space Activities， the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea， and a series of rules and regulations such as the Voluntary Non-binding Norms， Rules and Principles for Responsible State Behavior reflect the above trend of evolution of international governance rules and norms for the new frontier.

New Features and Trends of World Science and Technology Innovation

I.Science and Technology Innovation Covers an Unprecedentedly Wide Range of Fields

Firstly， there are precursors of revolutionary breakthrough in basic sciences. Basic sciences are the root of the entire scientific system. At present， major scientific questions are constantly being cracked， and significant progress is being made or expected in the fields of structure of matter， evolution of the universe， origin of life and so on. Secondly， technology innovation has become more intensive， and the importance of digital technology has become increasingly prominent. Todays breakthroughs in basic science have led to technologies development in group and a leap in methods of production of the society. On clean energy， climate change， space and ocean exploitation， new energy technologies， new biotechnologies， and new material technologies have emerged one after another， and have led to technological innovation characterized by green and intelligence in almost all fields. Digital technology is updating rapidly and steering social development in an undeniable manner. The integration of digital technology with material production processes has led to the flourishing of the artificial intelligence （AI） industry， which has become an important symbol of technological innovation and an important engine of economic growth， with ChatGPT， which has received much attention recently， being the latest representative in this regard. The integration of digital technology and the traditional finance world has given birth to sovereign digital currencies， so the reform of the international monetary system is poised to take place.

II.The Approach to Science and Technology Innovation has Undergone Major Changes

A new paradigm of S&T innovation is taking shape. Historically， S&T innovation is a fundamental force in the paradigm shift of scientific research. In contemporary times， with the development of technological research in the direction of super-macro and super-micro， major theoretical discoveries and scientific breakthroughs are increasingly dependent on the support of scientific research conditions such as advanced experimental equipment and major scientific and technological infrastructure. Meanwhile， with the rise of the data-driven research paradigm， traditional disciplines highly dependent on data such as chemistry and biology， have begun to adopt big data and computer simulations when researches are undertaken. In this way， new phenomena and new laws that are difficult to be discovered under the traditional research paradigm have emerged. In the context of globalization， informatization and networking， todays S&T innovation resources flow faster and wider all over the world with higher accessibility. Global science and technology nodes are more closely connected and more interdependent with each other. It is impossible for any country， enterprise or research team to solve all the S&T innovation problems solely by their own， so transnational exchanges in science and technology become necessary.

III.The Impact of Science and Technology Innovation Is More Comprehensive and Profound

Firstly， the spatial scope of human activities is greatly expanded. Digital space gradually comes into being， and the huge， diverse and interrelated data clusters has made it infinitely similar to the real world. At the same time， with the accelerated development of the Internet of Things （IOT）， everything in the world can theoretically be connected to the Internet， and the boundary between physical space and digital space is finally broken， and human activities in both spaces are increasingly crossed and integrated. The concept of Metaverse， which features a new social system， is a concrete manifestation of this.

Secondly， new industries are emerging and new industrial chains are gradually formed. The new generation of digital technologies， highlighted by advanced chip manufacturing， mobile Internet， intelligent terminals， big data， cloud computing， artificial intelligence， etc.， play a pioneering role and drive many industrial changes and innovations. Major countries around the world are speeding up the development of new industries， using new technologies to promote the transformation and upgrading of traditional industries， and accelerating the integration of digital technology with manufacturing and service industries to grab the early opportunities for industrial development. Some developing countries are also increasing investment in science and technology， continuously updating their industrial development models， accelerating the development of technologies and industries in which they have comparative advantages， and seeking to achieve leapfrog development.

Finally， the importance of a countrys S&T innovation strategy and system has never been more prominent. The ability of S&T innovation， especially for strategic cutting-edge science and technology， reflects the international competitiveness of a country. Whoever dominates the strategic leading-edge science and technology can seize the opportunity to realize development. This in turn requires the leading rule of innovative strategic planning， as well as innovative institutional mechanisms. Therefore， todays international competition is highlighted as the competition of national S&T innovation strategy and system. It is bringing international politics from the “geopolitical era” to the “technopolitical era”.

Science and Technology Innovation Is Reshaping Todays International Landscape

I.Science and Technology Innovation Is Reshaping the Global Economic Structure

Firstly， S&T innovation is profoundly changing the way of a countrys economic development. Although the global economy is in a continued downturn due to the combined effect of many factors， the all-round embedding of S&T innovation， especially digital technology， in economic activities is driving the digital transformation of the economy characterized by “Internet+” and “Smart+”. In 2021， the added value of the digital economy in 47 major countries around the world has reached US$38.1 trillion. It can be said that the world today has entered a new period of development led by the digital economy.

Secondly， S&T innovation has profoundly changed the international division of labor and reconstructed the theme of international competition. Especially， the progress of digital technology promotes the development of enterprise organization in the direction of platformization， decentralization and inclusiveness. The “flexible production” model， which is characterized by the division of labor in the production chain， is gradually replacing the long-standing “rigid production” model， which is characterized by the “inter-industry division of labor”. The rapidly proceeding S&T innovation is reshaping the system of division of labor and competition pattern worldwide， and the reconstruction of global value chain has become a major and widespread concern. In the era of global value chain reconstruction， the power of a state is no longer the traditional “control”， but “dominance”. Therefore， the competition among countries in the economic field is focused on global value chains， while the ability of S&T innovation directly affects the position of countries in global value chains.

Secondly， the importance of natural resource endowment is further reduced， and a new development pattern of global economy emerges. With the application of S&T innovation results in economic life， the growth of national strength and the enhancement of national capacity today are less and less dependent on natural resource endowment but dependent on continuous innovation capacity to a larger extent， including science and technology innovation. At the same time， those countries that are relatively poor in natural resources but have the ability to innovate have thus gained more favorable development conditions than before， so their ability to compete in the international economy has increased. The pattern of global economic development has changed.

II.Science and Technology Innovation Is Reshaping the Global Military Competition Pattern

Firstly， new security issues are emerging and the concept of security is continuously updated. As a fundamental value， the concept of security has undergone a process of expansion from vertical to horizontal. Scientific and technological developments usually give rise to new security issues， thus changing the connotations and scope of security. For example， the invention and application of nuclear technology and human exploration and utilization of outer space have given rise to nuclear security and outer space security issues. The widespread use of digital technology has brought widespread attention to issues such as cyber security and data security. In general， todays social life is becoming more and more “security-concerned” or “re-security-concerned”. Scientific and technological security has become one of the core elements of national security. In connection with this， the concept of human security is also constantly adjusted with the trend of evolving from the traditional security concept to a new security concept. The overall national security concept proposed by General Secretary Xi Jinping， which takes into account both traditional and non-traditional security， reflects the distinctive characteristics of the times and is a major innovation in the concept of security.

Secondly， the way a country maintains its own security has undergone important changes， and the investment in military science and technology research and development has increased significantly. The level of science and technology development determines a countrys means and ability to maintain its own security. S&T innovation has provided new means to national security， but also made national security face new problems and challenges. The broad application of digital technology has accelerated the integration of security issues in physical space with those in digital space. It has become an important option for maintaining national security to deeply exploit the potential of digital technology to enhance the integrated capacity of maintaining comprehensive security. To this end， countries continue to increase their investment in security， especially military science and technology research and development.

Thirdly， the global security deficit is aggravated and the global security rules and architecture are profoundly adjusted. S&T innovation， especially the scientific and technological revolution， usually triggers profound changes in security relations， and security rules must be adjusted in time to effectively maintain the security order. Todays global security situation is becoming increasingly complex; traditional and non-traditional security threats are intertwined; the diversity， linkage and transnational nature of security issues are more prominent; the game of major powers and group confrontation are significantly escalated; the global security deficit is further expanded; and the global military competition pattern is undergoing historic changes. Strengthening security governance and building a new rule and order for global security has become a major global issue. It is against this backdrop that General Secretary Xi Jinping proposed the Global Security Initiative， advocating a spirit of solidarity to adapt to the profoundly adjusted world landscape and a win-win mindset to address the complex and interwoven security challenges. China has actively participated in the formulation of global security rules and released the Global Security Initiative Concept Paper to promote the construction of a balanced， effective and sustainable global security architecture to achieve universal and common security.

III.Science and Technology Innovation Is Reconfiguring the Global Balance of Power

The change of S&T innovation model brought by the development of S&T globalization and networked S&T cooperation has made it possible for emerging economies and developing countries to become important members of the global S&T landscape. The number of countries and regions integrated into the global S&T innovation system has increased significantly， and the rapid rise of emerging economies， represented by China， in the global S&T and economic landscape is reshaping the global balance of power. In terms of the global share of trade in high-tech products， from 2000-2017， North America fell from 26.3% to 17.7%， while East Asia rose from 19.9% to 32.9%; the United States fell from 20.4% to 9.1%， while China rose from 4.0% to 17.7%. The global trade landscape of high-tech products has shown a shift from European-North American dominance to East Asian dominance， with China replacing the United States as the worlds largest trading country. Although the U.S. still occupies a central position in the trade network of high-tech products， the spatial structure has changed from a “double-arch” pattern with the U.S. as the core to a “multi-arch” pattern with China as the core. In terms of the global GDP share， the G7 took 62% in 1976 when it was established while the BRICS took only 8% in 2001 when it was established. At present， in terms of purchasing power parity， the total GDP of the BRICS countries has reached 31.5% of the world， while the total GDP of the G7 countries is 30.8% of the world. The BRICS have surpassed the G7. In terms of global economic contribution， the BRICS will provide 32.1% of world economic growth in 2023， compared to 29.9% for the G7. The International Monetary Fund predicts that by 2028， the BRICS will contribute 35%-40% of global GDP， compared to 27.8% for the G7. This shows that the global balance of power is changing profoundly.

Conclusion

As an important way of human social practice， S&T innovation has triggered profound changes in all aspects of social life by promoting changes in production methods， the most significant of which is the reshaping of the international landscape. The world today is undergoing a profound historical change， which inherently includes the reshaping of the world landscape. One of the key drivers of the reshaping of the world landscape is the ongoing new round of scientific and technological revolution. “In the coming decades， a new round of scientific and technological revolution and industrial change will form a historic intersection with the development of human society， and progress in engineering， science and technology and innovation in those aspects will become an important engine for the development of human society.” How to cope with the major trend of the world landscape reshaping and grasp the initiative in global competition， especially in terms of science and technology， has become a major issue for all countries in the world.

Wang Cungang is Professor of Zhou Enlai School of Government of Nankai University， China