China's all-round dominance, from batteries to medicine, from trains to AI (www.lemonde.fr)

China is asserting its dominance across critical sectors, including industrial artificial intelligence, robotics, and biotechnology, by investing heavily in research and securing control over essential raw materials. This strategic approach is positioning the nation at the forefront of emerging technologies, an alarm bell for advanced economies that increasingly rely on Chinese production capabilities. China has transitioned from merely assembling products to leading the charge in the future economy, highlighting a paradigm shift in global tech dynamics. Notably, China's electric vehicle (EV) market plays a pivotal role in this dominance, with domestic brands accounting for two-thirds of global sales by 2025. Amid a contraction in its domestic EV market, China's exports surged, with predictions indicating a 20% annual growth rate in exports to the EU between 2026 and 2028. The International Energy Agency's recent findings emphasize that the production costs for EVs in China remain significantly lower due to high automation levels in factories owned by major players like Nio and BYD. Such advancements not only streamline manufacturing processes but also showcase how robotics and AI integration is enhancing productivity, reinforcing China's competitive edge in the global automotive market.