Translated with AI
China holds leading positions in most key and promising global technology areas, according to the ASPI Critical Technology Tracker 2025 report. According to the data presented, China ranks first in 66 of 74 critical technology areas, while the United States leads in only eight.
The report notes that over the past 20 years, China and the United States have effectively swapped places in global technological leadership. Between 2003 and 2007, China held leading positions in only three of 64 technologies. Meanwhile, the United States led in 60 of 64 technologies during this period.
According to ASPI, in the 2019–2023 period, China became the leading country in 57 of 64 technologies, increasing its presence compared to the 2018–2022 ranking, when it led in 52 areas.
The United States, which previously dominated the technology sector undisputedly, has retained its leadership in only seven of 64 technologies over the past five years, from 2019 to 2023.
The report emphasizes that the United States has failed to maintain its historical technological advantage over the past two decades. While the United States still maintains leadership in certain areas, its former technological hegemony, the document notes, is a thing of the past.
It is noted that China has significantly strengthened its position through large-scale investments in the development of its own technologies, as well as through the formation of highly effective scientific and research institutes.
ASPI's analysis suggests that even if the United States were to launch a national technology campaign comparable in scale to the space race of the 1960s, it could take about 20 years to catch up.
