US Effort to Combat China’s Tech Rise ‘Not Nearly Enough’

Such moves aren’t enough, said Robert Atkinson, president of the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation, a think tank that focuses on innovation policies.

“The idea that you can fix this problem” of international science and technology competitiveness “only with an R&D strategy is shortsighted,” Atkinson said.

Atkinson, who has written about short-term bets by companies such as Lucent that led to their collapse, said he fears that America’s tech giants could similarly falter.

He proposes a national advanced industry and technology agency that would ensure long-term U.S. leadership, consolidating efforts now split across multiple agencies.