United States flags China as peer-level R&D competitor

The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy released a report titled “Science: A New Golden Age,” calling China the first peer‑level rival to the United States in research and development spending. Using purchasing‑power‑parity metrics, the report notes that China’s R&D outlays have risen from a negligible share to roughly equal the U.S. over the past two decades, a situation the authors compare to the Cold‑War era when only the Soviet Union challenged the United States.

The document attributes China’s rapid progress to an “all‑of‑society” approach that coordinates scientific effort across government, industry and academia, and highlights competition in autonomous laboratories that employ artificial intelligence and robotics. It recommends the United States concentrate federal R&D resources on artificial intelligence, quantum computing, semiconductors, nuclear fission and fusion, advanced communications, robotics, manufacturing and space systems. The report makes no reference to India as a partner, and notes that other countries such as Canada are also advancing in autonomous research facilities.

“**For the first time, the United States faces a peer‑level competitor in R&D spending on a purchasing‑power‑adjusted basis**,” the report states, underscoring the strategic significance of the emerging rivalry.