China's AI Landscape Curriculum
Week 1: Introduction & China Foundations

Introduction: The PRC as a Tech Power

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IN THIS LESSON

Studying the PRC as a global tech power

To understand the global AI development landscape, one must understand Chinas role in it (and vice versa). This week introduces some key background concepts on studying the PRC (People’s Republic of China), its governance, and its position as a global technology power.

  • China watching in the ‘New Era’: A guide (Council on Geostrategy, 2022)

    (20 minutes)

    This explainer consists of the author’s views and experience of ‘China watching’ spread over four decades. It is meant as a practical guide, mainly, but not exclusively, with government officials in mind. It looks at the basic framework of knowledge which needs to be already in place; what needs to be read; advice on how to read material; and caution against some traps. 

  • How does the Chinese Communist Party operate? (South China Morning Post, 2021) (10 minutes)

    Provides a very basic overview of the party-state institutions. It does not explain how policy-making/enforcement works in practice.

    China Primer: China’s Political System (US Congressional Research Service, 2025) (15 minutes)

    Useful resource on the structure of China’s party-state, introducing select features of the PRC political system. 

  • The Tech Edge (CSIS, 2026) (15 minutes)

    The Tech Edge Project is the CSIS Economic Security and Technology (EST) Department’s flagship initiative on U.S.–China technology competition. It introduces a new framework for assessing the ecosystem drivers that shape long-term technology leadership—not just who leads today, but who is positioned to win over time.

    China’s High-Tech Drive in 10 Charts (CSIS, 2026) (15 minutes)

    Over the past few decades, China’s high-tech drive has made enormous yet uneven progress, both in general and within specific industries. These advances have directly translated into enhanced international power and influence for China. The United States and like-minded countries need to respond pragmatically to maximize the opportunities and minimize the risks resulting from these developments. This piece illustrates the changes in China’s dominance across various high-tech sectors in 10 intuitive charts.

    China Is Rapidly Becoming a Leading Innovator in Advanced Industries (ITIF, 2024) (20 minutes)

    Read only:

    • Key Takeaways

    • Introduction

    • "China's Dream: Techno-Economic Leadership"

    • Conclusion

    “If China can develop new-to-the-world innovations ahead of, or at the nearly the same time as, the United States and allied nations, its potential to displace U.S. (and allied) technology-based companies and capabilities becomes much more likely, especially because China benefits from significant economies of scale and a government laser focused on global best-in-class science and technology policy for competitiveness.”