Innovation in China's Development

     

 

Dr Bernie Frolic

Bernie Michael Frolic is Professor Emeritus, Political Science, York University and Senior Researcher at the Munk School for Global Affairs University of Toronto.  He is also Visiting Professor in the Canadian Graduate Studies Centre, Beijing Foreign Studies University. Dr. Frolic is the author/editor of Mao’s People(Harvard, 1980); Reluctant Adversaries, Canada and the PRC, 1949-1970 (University of Toronto) (translated as Xin kaiduan, Jianada yu Zhonghua Renmin Gongheguo);  Civil Society in China(M.E.Sharpe); Civil Society and Human Rights in Southeast Asia.(University of Toronto/York University).  He has served in Beijing as First Secretary in the Canadian Embassy and is currently Director of the York Asian Business/Management Programme that has trained over 4000 Chinese Party and government officials in Canada and China.  He is currently completing a book on 50 years of Canada-PRC relations.  

Innovation in China's Development    

In 1400 China was a great civilization with the world's largest economy. It led the world in innovations, such as papermaking, gunpowder, the compass, printing, and steel making. In the next 400 years the West caught up and
surpassed it. After struggling through more than a century of war and revolution China today has emerged as a potential major power. By 2020 it again will be the world's largest economy, having achieved astonishing growth in the past 50 years without producing a single innovation that has made a significant impact on today's world. How was this possible? No civilization has failed to spread new ideas and technologies on its path to greatness. Can the Chinese
continue their march to superpower status without innovation as we know it?

This event is part of the Spring 2015 Speaker series.  Register for the Spring 2015 Speaker series.