[tansey]

>I don't think anyone disagrees that China will out pace the US in technology at some point within the next two generations

I disagree. There is a barrier to go from manufacturing to innovating, and it's one that China is not going to find easy to break through. There is a political, cultural, and social infrastructure in America that China simply does not have.

Innovators are people who typically want to be free. They solve problems because they don't like being constrained. A country like America accommodates innovators very well: we allow people to express their political opinions openly, accept or even celebrate people's eccentricities, and promote almost a true meritocracy. I don't see China reaching that level in two generations.

[kkshin]

I think they're already starting to break through that barrier. Look at companies such as Huawei, TCL, Lenovo, and Haier who are competing at the global stage with many US tech firms. If you are limiting "technology" to what most of us do around here (software) then I might be able to concede the argument, but that is an incredibly narrow view.

edit On innovators: I agree in the current climate the environment in the US is more conducive to raising people with the entrepeneural spirit, however China is rapidly changing. This is the time when the first batch of college grads have parents who had white collar jobs. They aspire to be more than their parents, and this desire/greed/ambition will inspire a new generation of business men and engineers. Their children will be even more so.