Putting China in perspective: a comparative exploration of the ascent of the Chinese knowledge economy

Andrés Rodríguez-Pose and Callum Wilkie

LSE Research Online Documents on Economics from London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library

Abstract: This article traces the ascent of China from knowledge economy laggard to world leader over the last two decades, using a comparative perspective. Chinese trends in R&D and patenting are compared to those of the countries of the ‘triad’ (the European Union, Japan and the US), as well as to those of other large emerging economies (Brazil, India, Mexico and South Africa). The analysis demonstrates how both in innovation inputs and outputs China reflects an innovation reality closer to that of the most developed areas of the world than to that of other emerging countries. However, the rapid ascent of Chinese innovation has generated a distinct set of territorial dynamics, with innovation much more geographically concentrated than elsewhere in the world and more reliant on agglomeration forces than on more traditional ‘innovative’ drivers. Such a distinct geography of innovation may have until now facilitated the innovation surge in China, but poses serious future risks in terms of the sustainability of the system.

Keywords: innovation; knowledge economy; R&D; patenting; regions; China (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: N0 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2016-11-01
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-cna, nep-geo, nep-ino, nep-knm and nep-sbm
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

Published in Cambridge Journal of Regions, Economy and Society, 1, November, 2016, 9(3), pp. 479-497. ISSN: 1752-1378

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Journal Article: Putting China in perspective: a comparative exploration of the ascent of the Chinese knowledge economy (2016)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:ehl:lserod:84294

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