The three East Asian countries, namely China, Japan, and South Korea, rank among the world's leaders in comprehensive strength. Once united, their combined military power would be staggering.
However, despite such potential, these three nations often compete with each other rather than cooperate.
South Korea is renowned for its semiconductor industry, while Japan is known for its century-old machine tool industry.
How does China fare in semiconductors and machine tools? What technologies do they take pride in?
In terms of semiconductors, South Korea is an important neighbor of China with historical ties, but there are also cultural controversies.
South Korea, as a developed country, reached a per capita GDP of $33,745 in 2023, slightly higher than China.
The development of South Korea's semiconductor industry has supported its higher economic level, especially the outstanding performance of companies like Samsung Electronics, SK Hynix, and SK Square in the semiconductor field, which is remarkable.
These companies, with strong technological capabilities, occupy 75% of the global market share, making it difficult for giants like Nvidia, TSMC, Sony, and SMIC to challenge their status.
China has long lagged behind South Korea in the semiconductor industry, but in recent years, China has made significant progress.
For example, on October 24, 2022, the number of well-known semiconductor companies in China grew rapidly, surpassing South Korea.
As Chinese companies' share of the semiconductor market continues to increase, even old giants like TSMC feel pressure, and the market landscape is changing.
South Korean media appreciates the development of Chinese semiconductors, acknowledging the quality gap but also recognizing the importance of Chinese policy support for industry development.
Regarding machine tools, China had nearly 3 million machine tools in the 1980s, leading the world.
However, the measure of the machine tool industry is not only quantity but also quality.
China's machine tool technology has not made significant breakthroughs, with some products facing performance degradation after several years of use.
In comparison, Japanese companies like Yamazaki Mazak have advanced technology and high-quality products, with machine tool speeds reaching up to 40,000 rpm, far exceeding the level of Chinese domestic machine tools.
China's development in the machine tool field still faces challenges, especially in high-end machine tools.
Although some Chinese companies have made progress in technological upgrading, there is still a gap compared to countries like the US, Japan, and Germany.
Therefore, China still relies on imported machine tools rather than independent production, which to some extent limits the development of China's manufacturing industry.
In the field of telecommunications, China demonstrates formidable strength.
China has made significant progress in 6G technology research, owning over 40% of global 6G patent technology and successfully launching the first 6G satellite.
This places China in a leading position in the global communications field, laying a solid foundation for commercial 6G by 2030.
In summary, the three East Asian countries exhibit their respective strengths and challenges in different fields.
Despite competition and disparities, through technological innovation and cooperation, these three countries are expected to jointly drive the development of East Asia and even the world.
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