Forget “Made in China”—Here Comes “Invented in China”

Image by Sturti

China is shifting its tech strategy. After the spotlight on “Made in China 2025,” it now wants to lead in a new wave of industries called “future industries.” These are sectors based on early-stage but powerful technologies—like AI, quantum computing, biotech, and clean energy.

The government first highlighted these industries in 2020, and the list keeps growing. In 2024, China added even more futuristic areas, such as humanoid robots, 6G internet, brain-computer interfaces, and large-scale AI data centers.

Meet the “Little Dragons” of China Tech

Hangzhou, a city in eastern China, is becoming the country’s next Silicon Valley. It’s home to a group of standout start-ups known as the “Six Little Dragons”:

• DeepSeek – AI development

• Game Science – creator of Black Myth: Wukong

• Unitree & Deep Robotics – humanoid robotics

• BrainCo – brain-tech company

• Manycore – focused on spatial intelligence

  
  

China now has more than half of all publicly listed humanoid robotics companies in the world. It's also home to nearly half of global humanoid system developers.

Biotech: A Fast-Growing Strength

China is also gaining ground in biotech. By March 2025, it had approved five CAR T-cell therapies—powerful treatments for blood cancers—just behind the U.S., which has six.

Companies in robotics and AI are offering salaries up to four times higher than the national average to bring in experienced talent.

Big players like WuXi AppTec are becoming global leaders. A U.S. report even compared WuXi’s influence in biotech to Huawei’s past dominance in telecom, showing how seriously China is taken in this space.

Attracting Top Talent with Big Pay

Even as many job markets struggle, China’s future tech industries are booming. Companies in robotics and AI are offering salaries up to four times higher than the national average to bring in experienced talent.

To speed things up, the Chinese government now posts real-world “tech challenges.” Teams that solve them within two years get priority funding and resources.

Backed by Big Money

China is also rolling out new ways to fund innovation. The government is reopening its tech stock markets to allow startups without profits to raise money—something that wasn’t allowed before.

Meanwhile, Shanghai is testing new financial tools, like blockchain-based trade finance and innovation bonds, to help private equity firms invest in breakthrough tech.

The Broader Context

China’s investment in future industries isn’t just about tech—it’s about leadership. From brain-inspired AI to clean hydrogen and personalized medicine, these sectors could reshape not only China’s economy but also the global tech order.

While the U.S.–China tech rivalry continues, China’s long-term strategy is clear: build early, scale fast, and lead the future.