Qian Jiwei

Qian Jiwei

Senior Research Fellow, East Asian Institute, National University of Singapore

Qian Jiwei is Senior Research Fellow at the East Asian Institute, National University of Singapore. He is also a co-editor of the book series Social Policy and Development Studies in East Asia (Palgrave Macmillan). He obtained his BSc in computer science from Fudan University, China and a PhD in Economics from the National University of Singapore. His research on health economics, health policy and social policy has been published in several leading journals. He is also on the editorial board of the journal 'China: An International Journal and East Asian Policy'. His recent co-edited book is Development and Poverty Reduction: A Global Comparative Perspective (2019). His current research interests include political economy, development economics and health economics.

China is placing greater emphasis on S&T and R&D. This picture taken on 22 September 2023 shows an employee from Chinese AR startup Rokid demonstrating an AR helmet at the company's office at the 2022 Asian Games host city Hangzhou, in China's eastern Zhejiang province. (AFP)
Technology

Can a new governance model boost China's chance for innovation-driven growth?

By Qian Jiwei 28 Sep 2023
To overcome limitations in chokepoint technologies and improve its investment in basic research, China has rolled out a series of governance changes to the science and technology (S&T) ecosystem. Researcher Qian Jiwei examines the changes which could potentially result in a centralised leadership and decentralised fund allocation mechanism. Will it work?  
Astronauts (from left) Ye Guangfu, Wang Yaping and Zhai Zhigang wave during a ceremony ahead of the launch of the Long March-2F Y13 rocket, carrying the Shenzhou-13 spacecraft and them in China's second crewed mission to build its own space station, at Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center near Jiuquan, Gansu province, China, 15 October 2021. (Carlos Garcia Rawlins/Reuters)
Technology

Can commercial space programmes take off in China?

By Qian Jiwei 18 Apr 2022
EAI academic Qian Jiwei notes that as China’s space capabilities increase, the field is being opened up to private companies. This move is likely to spark off greater innovation and efficiency for the industry and give China a leg up in the space race, but challenges exist in offering targeted policies and managing innovative outputs.
A pedestrian pauses on a footbridge in the Lujiazui business district in Shanghai, China on 20 July 2021. (Qilai Shen/Bloomberg)
Economy

The Yangtze River Delta region: Promoting economic integration amid provincial competition

By Qian Jiwei 02 Aug 2021
While the Yangtze River Delta region comprising Shanghai and parts of Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Anhui has been seeing strong economic development, it could be more productive. Provinces with their own targets to meet have few incentives for regional integration, leaving the region as a whole less competitive. How can policies or market mechanisms be implemented to encourage more collaboration between local governments?
Visitors look at a display of a semiconductor device at Semicon China, a trade fair for semiconductor technology, in Shanghai, China, 17 March 2021. (Aly Song/Reuters)
Technology

China's going full speed ahead on technology innovation. Will it work?

By Erik Baark , By Qian Jiwei 12 Apr 2021
Amid intense technological competition with the US, China is more determined than ever to be self-reliant in core frontier technologies. It has rolled out various plans but several obstacles such as financial resources stand in the way. Is it a case of more haste, less speed?
A robotic dog powered by Huawei Cloud is seen at a booth during Huawei Connect in Shanghai, China, 23 September 2020. (Aly Song/Reuters)
Technology

China's whole-of-nation push for technological innovation

By Erik Baark , By Qian Jiwei 02 Dec 2020
Innovation features prominently in the proposals for China's 14th Five-Year Plan. Apart from building up long-term resources such as education and basic scientific research, much government weight will be thrown behind building self-reliance in core technologies, including in the semiconductor industry, says Erik Baark and Qian Jiwei.