By Zhang Xin & Tian Jietang, Research Department of Innovation Development, DRC

Research Report No.67, 2018 (Total 5342) 2018-4-17

Abstract: For more than a year since President Trump assumed office, the US technological innovation policy has carried forward the traditional governing philosophy of the Republican Party. Different from President Obama’s policy that laid high emphasis on the leading role of the federal government in strategic planning and R&D layout of scientific and technological innovation, President Trump did not put scientific and technological innovation in a key position for decision-making. Trump believed that the federal government should concentrate public research and development resources on strengthening the power of military science and technology, reduce the government investment in the fields of technology and encourage enterprises to make input in research and development. Trump strongly opposed climate change issues and new energy development projects, tried to cut non-defense R&D funds and enforced the restrictions on low-skilled migrants. He took a vigorous stance in pursuing the policy of technological protectionism. By intensifying review on China’s M&A projects in the U.S., he made a Section 301 investigation on the so-called “infringement of intellectual property rights by China and the compulsory technology transfer” and intervened in the export of China’s hi-tech products to US market. But due to the meddling by the Congress, Trump failed to fully implement his proposition. This paper gives an illustration of the main changes of American scientific and technological innovation policy since Trump took office, analyses their potential impact on Sino-American relations and puts forward corresponding countermeasures.

Key words: technological innovation policy, Trump, potential impact, countermeasures