SHENZHEN, China – A walkthrough inside Tencent headquarters in Shenzhen, the technological hub of China, solidified my belief that China will beat the US in the protracted technology war.
From the Cold War to the Tech War, the US and China have locked horns on almost anything. The technology war involves $500 billion in US GDP and millions of jobs in the US mainland. The conflict – the race to the 5G technology which China is currently leading with Huawei at the helm.
Thus, the US describes Huawei as a “threat to national security” accusing the cellphone-maker giant that it will work closely with China’s Communist Party. Do the countless US parts-suppliers to Huawei work with China’s Communist Party? No, they are making huge moolah with the cellphone parts.
At the Tencent Headquarters in Shenzhen, Fililpino journalists were updated with the developments in artificial intelligence, new media and how it will affect the more than one billion users of Tencent, maker of WeChat, QQ, etc.
It’s easy to comprehend that China will beat the US in the technology war as we saw firsthand the remarkable growth of the technology hub in the heart of Asia. Shenzhen is also home to Huawei, the subject of US President Donald Trump’s tirade amplified by the increased tariffs and uneasy economic relationship. And now China will reportedly replace the Android operating system with the HongMeng operating system. Well, let’s see what happens.
At the SEG Electronics market in downtown Shenzhen, we were plugged in a showcase of technological marvel. Name it, they have it. Want cheap cellphones? Go to the 2nd hand store and you can get original iPhones for $200. Hawkers can be seen selling clone iPhone XS for $200 but you do not have to buy a fake one when you can have the real deal for a lower price.
China’s socialist framework that is now capitalist-based is working fine in the once confined nation. The excesses of the West are evidently present in China – Bugattis, Ferraris, BMWs, Mercedes Benzes, name it and chances are it will roll right in front of you. I did not see one dilapidated road. The Beijing Subways are just amazing and was a piece of good news the head tunnel bore had arrived in the Philippines to start our subway system. If this is communism, then I want more of it in the Philippines.
