Thirst for knowledge

Wavering between hope and fear is perhaps the best way to describe the relationship between the West and the People’s Republic of China. For most insiders, the prospect of doing a large volume of business is accompanied by a growing unease about the future. The Asians are clearly in a dominant position if you look at present circumstances and expected growth rates.

In the past, growth has been skillfully nurtured through relations with Western partners. If a joint venture world championship were to be held, then surely the Chinese would be the winners. There are many examples of foreign investment. This issue of PROCESS worldwide contains a report on Bayer’s latest large project in Caojing, SCIP. A world-scale facility for the production of Makrolon is currently under construction at a cost of $450 million. (More information about the Chinese market starting on page 17).

This thirst for technology is now being followed by a thirst for knowledge. Changes in the scientific community indicate that the Chinese intend to do more than merely develop into a good sales market. Until about eight years ago, students were told what they had to study, but the universities are now being liberalized and internationalized. Linguists are acting in the role of pioneers. For the first time, a foreigner (Professor Ulrich Steinmüller from Germany) has been appointed to a position as dean in China. The professor’s management responsibilities at Zheijang University include improvement in the quality of education, raising research standards and internationalization. The Chinese plan to use languages in particular to open the door to the rest of the world. Ulrich Steinmüller agrees that there is reason for concern: “Immense scientific resources are being activated in China, which will soon be in competition with us.” Plant construction firms with experience in China confirm this view and point out that China could become one of the largest competitors within a few years.

I draw two conclusions from these developments. The West should be actively involved in developing one of the biggest growth markets in the world. Any global player which is not there will soon be faced with negative growth. At the same time, we must not neglect the home front. The foundation for new, innovative products must be laid in our own research labs and at domestic universities. A combination of these two strategies is vital to ensure that the future does not turn in a money-losing exercise. By the way, if you have a particular interest in the Chinese market, you might want to look at the
PROCESS China edition which is now in its sixth year with 15 issues.