Beware the ‘But China’ Excuses

Technology is part of the tug of war between the United States and China. But let me offer some advice: When you hear an American technology executive mention China, put on your hmmmm face. Ditto when you hear a US government official talk about China in the context of technology. US tech companies love to suggest that anything that hurts them somehow opens the door to China’s technology dominance. And American politicians sometimes appear to fan fears of Chinese technology for selfish reasons. There are legitimate concerns about China’s shaping global technology norms, seeking to swipe America’s tech secrets, sponsoring criminal hackers or using tech for political aims. But how can the American public fairly evaluate technology policy when powerful people and companies use “but China …” as a catchall boogeyman?