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Who will lead the way as the leading economic power in the coming decades?
Cities like Haikou in China are growing rapidly
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For the usually divided camps of Republicans and Democrats in the USA, it was a historic agreement: The US government is to support the technology sector with $ 244 billion in the future, so that China does not assume economic supremacy in the fields of semiconductor and telecommunications technology for years to come.
At the same time, the US Senate decided to take further measures against China and the Communist Party.
The project has to be discussed again in the House of Representatives and can still be prevented by the democratic majority there.
On the other side of the Pacific, however, the advance is already not being well received.
According to the AP news agency, China's Foreign Affairs Committee expressed in a statement its "strong dissatisfaction and resolute opposition" to the measures.
"The law tries to exaggerate the alleged threat from China in order to ensure American supremacy worldwide," it said.
The reference to human rights violations is only used as a pretext for the US to interfere in China's internal affairs and to deprive the country of its rightful development rights, according to the committee.
In addition to $ 190 billion for technology and research projects, the US law provides for additional funds, for example for chips that are used by automakers.
In addition to the funding, the "Innovation and Competition Act" also calls for a new study on the origin of the coronavirus and a diplomatic boycott of the 2022 Winter Olympics in the People's Republic.
China is described as the "greatest geopolitical and geo-economic challenge" of US foreign policy.
President Joe Biden recently presented a list of 59 Chinese companies in which US investments are no longer allowed.
The billion dollar package is justified on the US side by the fact that China is investing more than 150 billion dollars in its semiconductor production.
This also serves to be able to control the technology.
Beijing does not want to tolerate foreign interference
"No power should expect China to swallow every bitter fruit that harms China's sovereignty, security or development interests," the Chinese committee said.
Foreign interference will not be tolerated, it said.
Beijing asked Washington to withdraw the bill.
However, no specific countermeasures were announced.
fek / AP / Reuters / AFP
