Fighting on World Technology: China challenges American control

The race for technological supremacy

While the world is busy with wars in the Middle East and Ukraine, another struggle, without the thunder of cannons but also no less dramatic, is going between the two largest powers in the world. Amir Gal-Or, Chairman of the Infinity Group, President of the Israel-China Bureau and Chairman of the OMGENE Research Institute, reveals in an interview with Maariv the full picture of the developing confrontation between China and the United States.

Gal-Or, a former fighter pilot who flew for 24 years in the Israeli Air Force, most of them in parallel with his business world activities, is currently investing more than $ 1.5 billion in China and Israel. From his rich experience in both worlds, he provides unique insights into the developing struggle between the powers.
“The turnaround began in the 2008 financial crisis,” explains Gal-Or.

“China has identified what it was perceived as the western system, and began operating on several levels: strengthening the army, increasing technological independence, and tightening connections with countries like Russia and Iran.” He said the strategy also included attempts to influence public opinion within the US, with the aim of producing support in China.

In this context, Gal-Or, China has developed an ambitious program called ‘The 2025 program, which aims to make the country a world leader in key technologies, especially in the field of artificial intelligence. “The program included a West dependence reduction, development of independent abilities, and strengthening strategic alliances to secure access to natural resources,” he specifies.

Chinese program: from land to space

In 2014, China launched the “Belt and Road Initiative,” a strategic program operating in three levels: land, marine and digital. “The plan also includes penetration into the Arctic area,” Gal-Or, “which is expected to become a significant cruise lane with glaciers.

The Chinese program is comprehensive and ambitious, “Gal -Or.” It also includes a ‘soft’ influence around the world, through infrastructure development loans, strengthening local rulers, all without demand for political changes – contrary to the traditional Western approach. ”

The fight for Taiwan: Beyond the chips

At the same time, the economic initiatives, Gal-Or, explains China promotes a double move: on the one hand, the issue of Taiwan which is a “open wound” in Chinese consciousness, and on the other hand, expanding the global influence, especially in the southern sea. “China’s desire in Taiwan is mainly due to a deep national issue of identity and correction of past injustices,” he claims. “While there are economic aspects, such as the advanced chip industry, it is not the main motive.”

The issue of Taiwan is a key point in tension between the powers. “It’s far beyond the advanced chip industry,” emphasizes Gal-Or. “This is a deep national pain of China, which is related to the 100 years of humiliation and foreign intervention. While there are significant economic aspects, China is ready to absorb economic losses and impose international sanctions to achieve its goals on Taiwan.”

Challenges on the way to Chinese hegemony, and reconnect

Despite the high hopes and the exact planning (as befits Chinese), China’s program encountered six significant obstacles, “First, the Corona crisis created prolonged closures of China, which led to a world concern from the dependence on Chinese supply chains,” explains Gal-Or. “Secondly, Trump’s trade war has been in the first term threatened US companies not to employ in China. Third, loss of consumer security, combined with a demographic decline in China, has created a delay in growth.”

“Fourth,” Gal-Or continues, “the Russian invasion of Ukraine is a significant warning sign for China. When you see on its own, Russia has been having difficulty three years against a smaller country, it provides disturbing precedent in relation to China’s programs against Taiwan.”

Fifth, the war in the Middle East harms Chinese interests on several levels: it produces pressure on energy sources, and leads to polarization between the camps, with China finding itself on the least successful side. Sixth, a BRICS organization, which China has been, is under significant American pressure, with question marks regarding its future stability and continued positive momentum, for example in relation to India, “when, as is well known, which heads its leading economic policy, according to Modi plan to meet soon for the” Business “meeting. With US President Trump.

Despite the challenges, China worried about re -adjusting its action strategy. “China focuses on areas where it has a significant advantage, such as electric vehicles, robots and industry,” a wave-light surgeon. “In the AI ​​field, for example, they develop specific and efficient applications, taking advantage of their advantage in access to huge amounts of information. In the field of robotics, their ability to produce low costs, along with government subsidy, gives them a significant advantage.”

Cover War: The economic struggle is heating up

The tensions between the tensions between the powers received a dramatic expression in the cover war. “Trump learned from the Chinese,” Gal-Or indicates. “China operates a consistent policy of economic punishment,” explains Gal-Or. “Every country that opens a Taiwan embassy in its territory, as in the case of Lithuania, finds itself under immediate economic sanctions. This is an example of Chinese use of economic power as a political tool.”

So Trump gives China from the drug she herself prepared, and in Gal-Or’s language: “Trump adopted the Chinese tactic of use of lids as a pressure tool, as China did with Australia, Korea and Japan. Also in the Tiktok affair, Trump applies the Chinese model of a partnership with a majority local”.

In addition, Trump adopted a few more Chinese tactics, “Gal-Or. Furthermore, like China, he skips government bureaucratic processes when he wants to promote a move – ‘When the leader wants, it happens.’ Even if the court stops it, the very initiative is already creating a new reality in the field. ”

“But the Chinese respond carefully,” Gal-Or emphasizes. “While the United States imposes additional 10% money on $ 450 billion in goods, China responds to 10% tax on only $ 20 billion in goods. This is an example of a calculated management of the confrontation, in which China makes sure to avoid unnecessary escalation. ”

The issue of drugs is particularly critical in this context, “Gal-Or emphasizes. If China does not respond to its requirements on this issue, it may take sharp steps. “, Than cover in the lesson.

Technological superiority race: lessons from history

The issue of chips is central to the fight between China and the United States, “explains Gal-Or. “This is the Cutting Edge of the technology, which gives the holder a kind of ‘super abilities’. The US restricts access to the most advanced chips, with the aim of preserving its technological advantage. But China responds to the development of independent abilities. While they are not yet at the level of Taiwan or the US, they are able to develop effective cost-benefit solutions that may be more attractive in the global market. ”

“When you look at American restrictions on Chinese technology, I remember the Israeli experience,” Gal-Or shares. “After the 1967 embargo, Israel developed the eagle and Kfir. As a pilot who was very interested in the Lavi project, I saw how the limitations actually pushed for innovation. We developed a plane where some aspects were better than the F-16. In she did not want Israel to compete with her in the global market. This teaches. “Because sometimes restrictions lead to the development of creative solutions – an insight that is relevant today.”

Depth Revolution: The model that changed the rules of the game and gives Israel a golden opportunity

A prominent example of Chinese success is a Depém company, which has developed a world-class artificial intelligence model at a cost of less than $ 6 million-they claim less than 4% of the cost of developing parallel models in the US. Low use 96.4%, “Gal-Or indicates.

“The impact on Israel is dramatic, at levels we are still unable to fully understand,” emphasizes Gal-Or. “Detah has changed the rules of the game. She has proven to coach models, both transverse and votic, at a lower cost than they thought. It opens up to Israeli companies, which specialize in startups and medium companies, completely new options in the field of dreadful models.”

“In the past,” Gal-Or expands, “the concept was that the American systems must be used to achieve the minimum quality level required to enter the global market. Now we see that you can get a ‘good enough’ of a much lower cost. While we will always use American systems, but we will not be completely dependent on them. ”

“This lack of dependence opens a whole world of possibilities,” Gal-Or adds. “For example, when you depend on Facebook’s algorithm, if Facebook is changing tomorrow – you may find yourself in the” existential “problem. New ideas, new models and vertical solutions in different sub-industries. ”

Israeli breakthrough: OMGENE and DNA Revolution

Gal-Or himself leads breakthrough innovation with the OMGENE Research Institute (please put the link here: Omgnee: Genetic Strengths Institute). “The idea was born in 1966,” he says, “when my mother, Prof. Gal-Or, sat at Johns Hopkins University and defined the DNA as our” operating system “. I was looking for ways to identify this imprint, to understand how to make the most of each person and improve the satisfaction of decisions ”

“We are developing AI system that will provide custom DNA sample recommendations,” he explains. “The company employs 12 developers and helps senior consultants such as Prof. Rebecca Carmi, Nobel Prize winner Prof. Dan Schechtman, and Prof. Il Frachter as the Director of the Studies.”

The company develops an AI system that connects DNA and behavior. “We take DNA sample and connect it to health, psychological and social characteristics,” explains Gal-Or. “The system detects unique strengths and provides insights into optimal ways and talk to it according to the needs.

It is far beyond nutrition or longevity, “it makes it clear.” The system allows organizations and individuals to make more informed decisions. It can identify capabilities that one has not thought of, aiming for professions in the formation, or identifying unique capabilities.

The system, highlights Gal-Light, will focus on only positive personal aspects: “We will talk to organizations and people are strong, what their organizational and personal genius space is, and where it is prominent compared to others.” The company maintains full privacy and is available in GDPR, HIPAA and ISO standards. On privacy, Gal-Or presents an interesting approach: “We allow full data control, including the possibility of absolute erasure, which also drops from our cloud of data.

But in our experience, transparency raises the quality of life and the level of control. When one does not have to hide or calculate defenses all the time, he is released more freely. ”

Looking for the future: Caution is calculated

In summary, Gal-Or is watching China will avoid direct confrontation with the US in the near term. “During Trump, the risk is too high,” he appreciates. With careful management of commercial tension. ”