Assessing Foundational and Emerging Technologies
Strategic technology autonomy is a key policy objective of Germany and the European Union. Dependencies on the People’s Republic of China have attracted growing attention and concern, not least in light of rising geopolitical tensions. European policymakers agree that only a higher degree of technological autonomy can maintain the EU’s ability to act on the global stage. While there is broad consensus on the goal, there is less agreement on the means of achieving it.
Identifying the right tools requires a proper understanding of technological ecosystems, the geopolitical context, and policy know-how that combines accessible technological and China-specific expertise. The Digital Power China research consortium, consisting of engineers and China scholars based in nine European countries, pairs knowledge of technology with knowledge of China. Its latest report, funded by Germany’s Federal Foreign Office, assesses the degree to which Europe has achieved strategic technology autonomy from China in seven case studies: semiconductors, blockchain, 6G wireless infrastructure, e-currency, AI ethics, AI in car making and related industries, and AI in smart cities.
In this first of two panel discussions to complement the report’s launch, we will discuss policy tools to achieve strategic autonomy and foster the resilience of supply chains, protecting national security, preserving universal values, or improving European technological competitiveness.
Opening remarks: Tilman Enders, Head of Unit for International Technology Policy, Digital Economy and Mobility, German Federal Foreign Office, Berlin
Speakers: Cyrille Artho, Associate Professor, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm
Jan-Peter Kleinhans, Project Director, Technology and Geopolitics, Stiftung Neue Verantwortung, Berlin
Maximilian Mayer, Junior-Professor of International Relations and Global Politics of Technology, University of Bonn
Kristin Shi-Kupfer, Professor of Contemporary China Studies, University of Trier
Frans-Paul van der Putten, Founder-owner, ChinaGeopolitics, Leiden
Gregory Walton, Senior Research Associate for Cyber Security, Smart Cities and Data Analytics, SecDev, Oxford
Tim Rühlig, Senior Research Fellow, German Council on Foreign Relations (DGAP), Berlin
Please register via events@dgap.org. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining via Zoom. Participants will be able to ask questions via Zoom’s question-and-answer function during the discussion. You will find information related to data processing at https://dgap.org/en/zoom.
For any questions regarding the program, please contact Tim Rühlig (ruehlig@dgap.org). For other inquiries, please feel free to contact Isabel Coleman at (events@dgap.org).