By Doug Kelly, CEO of American Edge
In his address to the joint session of Congress, President Donald Trump emphasized America’s future strength, security, and prosperity. Achieving that future depends on America winning the global tech race against China — and that requires urgent action by the administration and Congress to accelerate innovation.
America’s unmatched talent for innovation has been the driving force of American growth and leadership since our founding. From electricity and aviation to semiconductors and the internet, innovation and ingenuity has long powered our economy, safeguarded our national security, and advanced our democratic values globally.
Today, technology isn’t just an important industry — it is the foundation of American power and prosperity. The U.S. tech sector generates over $2 trillion annually, fueling small businesses, empowering entrepreneurs, and ensuring our military remains the most advanced on Earth. And tech’s share of the economy is expected to rise dramatically in the coming years.
Yet American technological leadership is no longer assured. In fact, it’s actively under threat.
Just two decades ago, America led in 60 of 64 critical technologies, according to the Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI). Today, that number has plummeted to seven. Meanwhile, China has surged from dominating only three of these fields to controlling 57. This staggering reversal illustrates China’s ambition and the threat it poses to America’s future prosperity and security.
This isn’t happening by accident. Rather, it’s the direct result of China’s strategic planning, sustained investment, and clear national mission to dominate critical technologies. The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is pouring $2.8 trillion into boosting their technological capabilities while stealing upwards of $500 billion annually in American intellectual property and technology. They have homed in on artificial intelligence (AI), quantum computing, semiconductors, and biotechnology as strategic priorities. They understand what some in Washington seem to have forgotten: in the 21st Century, technology is geopolitical power.