China to launch manned spacecraft in June

[Firebird]

OMFG. The US propaganda machine has worked its magic on you... why is it that its only the Americans who believe that?

Based on what? How is anything that I cited above not true? I resent the implication that I'm somehow "brainwashed" because I'm American. Proud, yes, but I've certainly criticized my own country many times on these forums. If you think I'm wrong, say why and I'll be happy to debate you.

Bill gates has done a lot, but all those parts are probably built in China.
not to mention Japan is ahead of us by two decades in technology. So..

Yes, China is ahead of us in manufacturing output. Part of the reason is that they pay their workers extremely poorly and make them work 18 hours a day. Another reason is that the Chinese manipulate their currency so that it's artificially low against the US dollar. That doesn't prove anything in terms of societal advancement; if anything, it shows how corrupt and repressive they are.
Japan has accomplished quite a bit, especially with cars, microelectronics, etc. I admire them very much, and I've always bought Japanese cars. At the same time, saying they're "ahead of us by two decades" is not accurate either, and few people would argue otherwise. We certainly compete with them in many markets, which is fine by me.
We can learn a lot from these countries, especially in terms of primary schooling. Yes, my country has thrown its arrogance around unnecessarily so, and I've spoken up in protest when that's happened. But reports of our demise are greatly exaggerated.

[Crow]

[Firebird]

They really aren't far behind at all, the education system is bringing in leading industry experts as they are willing to pay for it. Sure there further education isn't as good as what you would find in the ivy league colleges but when the students are coming in with a higher level of education and leaving with top marks it doesn't really matter as that knowledge will just go straight back into China (technology transfer). They are far away from creating anything such as silicon valley but prior to the 1950's Manchester was the world hub of technological innovation and it didn't take much for that to change. You just need to look at the amount of science journals and citations being published in the key areas of science even though the quality isn't as good it is increasing at a phenomenal rate.

The power shift from the UK to the US is a perfect example at what is happening now, it wasn't really until the Technological Revolution that the US properly overtook as the world superpower but really they had a long time before hand, now look at the UK it's not even a contender whilst living in days of yore thinking it still is. Saying all that though it depends if China can maintain growth and is why they are investing so heavily into nanotechnology research, but I don't think it will dip even though wages are increasing as long as it happens at a natural progression growth will continue. The fall of superpowers is the same throughout history and the world over, the relationship behind the US and China is showing all the same characteristics. A lot of people do not understand the amount of progress China has gone through in just 20-30 years, its phenomenal and they haven't even scratched the surface of ambition. I'm not pro or negative any country including my own but what has been achieved in China since the 1980's is mind blowing.

[Firebird]

I do agree with you Crow. China's progress has been mind-blowing, and it is a perfect example of why it's important for a country to focus on education, particularly math and science. If the US does not wake up to that soon, then we will be a has-been superpower in the not-so-distant future. We have been sitting on our laurels for far too long, and it's starting to show. That being said, we haven't been displaced yet.
China does publish a lot of articles in science journals, but to be honest the quality of a lot of them is still crap, from what I've been told. China's repressive nature is a major stumbling block on their progress, and it shows in their educational system too. The students who go to school there can to math and science when it comes to calculating numbers, but they can't think creatively. Not only that, as more of their population moves into the middle class and sees how much they're being exploited compared to the west, both in terms of wages and freedom of speech, I foresee more uprisings; it's happened before, and there are more cracks showing as more of them gain internet access.
Perhaps it will benefit the US in the long run to have a competitor such as China; it may be the impetus they need to cast off such destructive policies as ignoring science and leaving important advances like stem-cell research to other countries. And I don't foresee them attacking each other, unlike the risks with the Soviet Union. Quite frankly, the two countries need each other between the amount of US debt China has bought and the vast markets the US provides for China. Unless they attack Taiwan. But now I'm getting ahead of myself.