China five-year plan aims for supremacy in AI, quantum computing

China's tech industry has been hit hard by US trade battles and the economic uncertainties of the pandemic, but it's eager to bounce back in the relatively near future. According to the Wall Street Journal, the country used its annual party meeting to outline a five-year plan for advancing technology that aids "national security and overall development." It will create labs, foster educational programs and otherwise boost research in fields like AI, biotech, semiconductors and quantum computing. The Chinese government added that it would increase spending on basic research (that is, studies of potential breakthroughs) by 10.6 percent in 2021, and would create a 10-year research strategy. China has a number of technological advantages, such as its 5G availability and the sheer volume of AI research it produces.