July 27, 2023
Contact: Brooke Aghakhan
baghakha@gmu.edu
703-993-5620

 

National Security Institute Publishes New Decision Memo:
“Addressing the National Security Threat of Chinese Technological Innovation”

 

Arlington, VA – Today, the National Security Institute (NSI) at George Mason University’s Antonin Scalia Law School published its latest NSI Decision Memo: “Addressing the National Security Threat of Chinese Technological Innovation,” by NSI Founder and Executive Director Jamil N. Jaffer. This is NSI’s newest paper aimed at educating Americans and policymakers on China’s efforts to take the global lead in the technology domain and the economic and national security threat these actions pose to American prosperity and security.

This NSI Decision Memo examines the Chinese Community Party’s (CCP) technology priorities, including to lead the world in emerging technologies development and global manufacturing by – among other things – acquisition and adaption of foreign technology.  This NSI Decision Memo then outlines and provides actionable recommendations on how the U.S. and our allies can best counter the CCP’s growing technological footprint, as well as resource and promote long-term technological innovation both here in the U.S. and in allied nations, including through:

• Increasing private R&D investment in key national security areas by providing tax and other economic incentives;
• Providing the right incentives for industry to develop domestic and allied computing and communications infrastructure;
• Avoiding significant new regulatory or administrative policies, including laws or targeted enforcement efforts that focus on a narrow set of technology leaders, or with respect to new fields of innovation such as artificial intelligence and quantum computing;
• Eschewing the belief that the U.S. is falling behind the EU when it comes to regulatory legislation and instead understand how such legislation, such as the EU’s Digital Markets Act and Digital Services Act, undermine our ability to compete with China;
• Buttressing our alliances and longstanding partnerships in Europe, the Indo-Pacific, the Middle East, and Africa to ensure U.S. and allied independence from China;
• Limiting outbound investment into China, in particular, in critical industries like high performance computing, semiconductors, critical minerals, cloud computing, artificial intelligence, and quantum computing; and
• Growing a STEM-capable workforce here in the U.S. by both leveraging foreign-born students that come to the U.S. to study and retaining high-skilled talent from abroad.

“The CCP has taken almost every measure short of military force to chip away at the current peaceful world order led by the U.S. and her allies,” said NSI Founder and Executive Director, Jamil N. Jaffer.  “This paper provides recommendations that, if implemented, would result in the U.S. directly addressing the threat of Chinese technological innovation, organizing and leading our European allies, and keeping advanced innovation in America.”

This NSI Decision Memo is available here.

Learn more about the author, Jamil N. Jaffer, here.

About the National Security Institute

The National Security Institute serves as a platform for research, teaching, scholarship, and policy development that incorporates a realistic assessment of the threats facing the United States and its allies, as well as an appreciation of the legal and practical challenges facing U.S. intelligence, defense, law enforcement, homeland security, and cybersecurity communities.  NSI draws on the experience of its fellows, as well as its highly distinguished advisory board and faculty, to produce timely research and policy materials that deliver insightful analysis and actionable recommendations to senior policymakers in the White House and key departments and agencies, as well as those on Capitol Hill.

About George Mason
George Mason University is Virginia’s largest public research university.  Located near Washington, D.C., Mason enrolls more than 33,000 students from 130 countries and all 50 states.  Mason has grown rapidly over the past half-century and is recognized for its innovation and entrepreneurship, remarkable diversity, and commitment to accessibility.

About the Scalia Law School

The Antonin Scalia Law School at George Mason University is defined by three words: Learn. Challenge. Lead. Students receive an outstanding legal education (Learn), are taught to critically evaluate prevailing orthodoxy and pursue new ideas (Challenge), and, ultimately, are well prepared to distinguish themselves in their chosen fields (Lead).  It has been one of America’s top-ranked law schools for the last fifteen years.