SCIENCE IN ASIA: THE NAME OF THE GAME IS TO WIN

Montri Chulavatnatol Thai Academy of Science and Technology c/o Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University,
Rama 6 Road, Bangkok 10400, Thailand. E-mail: [email protected]

The intent of this paper is to put forward a vision on Asian science and technology as the new century is approaching. Starting with the current financial crisis, analysis will be made in relation to the prevailing state of Asian science and technology. Then suggestions will be presented in transforming the mindset of Asian countries from the followers of the world science and technology to lead in niche areas of science and technology. Issues related to the change will also be outlined and discussed.

The Asian Meltdown: Crisis and Opportunity

While the world is preparing to welcome the new millennium, Asia has stumbled on a serious financial crisis which started in Thailand in mid-1997 and spread to several countries in the region. The once world-acclaimed Asian economic miracle suddenly turned into a terrible menace. IMF has been asked to rescue the economies of Thailand, Indonesia and South Korea. The rest is widely known among those who follow the news. We all hope and wish that the worse is now over or soon will be over. Then the Asian region will be able to get back on track in time to greet the 21st century with full confidence and optimism. No one doubts that it has been a crisis. However, the crisis can also be turned into an opportunity for Asia to improve itself in preparation for a better future. What can be learned from this expensive lesson? How can it be prevented from happening again? These are some of the key questions in the mind of many. Answers to these questions vary depending on the professions and the backgrounds of the persons. Economists and financial professionals already have made known their analysis and recommendations that include fiscal disciplines, infrastructure reform and currency devaluation. Politicians and social scientists emphasize the importance of building confidence and preventing social unrest while business professionals and industrialists concentrate their efforts on exchange rates, export, cash flow and balanced budget. Although all these factors contribute to helping the Asians to ride out of the current financial turbulence, none can ensure that a similar crisis will not happen again in the future. To avoid future trouble, a good understanding of causes of the financial crisis is essential. The followings should form the central part of the sought-after answers

Asians as World Consumers

The population in Asia is still growing. It has been estimated that half of the world population at the turn of the century will be Asians. Most of the megacities in the world will be situated in Asia. Moreover, Asians are generally conscious about progress and advances in the West. Globalization and free flow of information further enhance the Asian sense and desire for modernity in such things as clothes, life style, utilities and industries. Looking West is easily understood. After the World War II, the world has witnessed the power of Western technology in rebuilding many war-devastated countries, industries and economies. Several Asian countries long to achieve similar degree of development and industrialization and practice export-led policy. As export-generated wealth accumulates in Asia, their purchasing power rises and the region quickly becomes a big world market for goods and services from the West. The East-West trade then accelerates in full force. Imported technology in combination with abundant raw materials and cheap labor constitutes the successful production and business. So the Asian miracle is in full bloom. Asians become addicted to the material wealth and dependent on low-interest foreign loans to expand the business. Easy money and good business, no one can refuse. It may be said that we develop using the other�s know-how and technology. Need to develop Asian technology is recognized but it not urgent. We rather consume Western technology and the products of Western technology. Only one thing is wrong about all this. When the system is short-circuited by the currency devaluation (that transforms the cheap foreign loans into expensive ones overnight) and the effects of the financial turmoil spreads, the Asian boom suddenly turns into a disastrous bust.

Asians as Weak Innovators.

Although the above brief analysis is generally sound and the fiscal measures taken should put Asia back on track, the crisis may recur in the future. Most of us fail to recognize that the financial fix is only short-term but the long-term solution has to come from development of own technology. Already Asian natural resources are scarce and Asian labor has become more costly. With these two drawbacks, Asia will not be competitive in the future. To stay competitive, Asia must now develop its own technological advantage. Unfortunately, Asia so far lacks the desirable technological advantage and will not have it if Asia continues to depend on using other�s technology. In recent history, Asia has a rather unimpressive record of innovations and technological development. Among numerous globally successful products and innovations in recent time, few can be said to be associated with Asians. Being behind, Asia has long pursued the strategy of catching up with the West in science and technology. We learn from them, we copy them and we buy from them. The conventional development proceeds through 5 I�s, from imitate, improvise, improve, innovate to invent. Asia has not gone beyond the first 2 0r 3 I�s. Why do we seem to make do without innovation and invention? It is not because we are incapable but we have not been pushed to try harder. The current economic crisis (the Asian Meltdown) is a strong push. So try we now must.

Change of the Mindset: From Catching Up to Winning

Even though Asian science and technology in general lags behind those of Europe and the United States, in some areas such as agriculture and health Asia is not so far behind. In fact, Asia has some geographical advantages and specific niches in such things as biodiversity and traditional medicine. Until recently Asia has been playing the catch up with the West and the Western progress in science and technology. While catching up has been necessary for gaining certain fundamental expertise, it is insufficient to win the race. Winning will be crucial to transform Asians from being net technology consumers to net technology producers. Only then, Asia can become strong enough to withstand any future financial turbulence. In my view, winning over the West in science and technology is not an option but a necessity for future survival of Asia. So far no Asian country has really adopted the winning strategy. Most still continue to be followers rather than to leaders. So a change of the Asian mindset must now begin. To the skeptics who may think the change of the mindset sounds unrealistic, it should be pointed out that it is possible if Asia starts adopting the following strategies.

(a) Population-based science and technology. One has to be mindful that half of the world population will be Asians in the 21st century. Asia must therefore concentrate its scientific and technological focus of areas that matter to the better being of the people, particularly the Asians. Their basic needs must be fully met by their own products rather than Western products. Four key areas that fall into the focus should be food, health, energy and environment. In the next millennium, Asia should be a better place if Asians are well fed, healthy, productive and less-polluting. To win the science and technology race, Asian countries must be selective and choose to be champions in the four areas that can better serve the growing population of Asia. One cannot deny that other areas of science and technology such as space, transport, communication, computer and defense are useful in the future. However, it will be difficult for Asia to win in these areas. In contrast, Asia has long been involved in food and medicine. For energy and environment, we should be not too far behind. For these reasons, it is possible for Asia to become dominant in science and technology in the areas relevant to the growing Asian population.

(b) Wisdom over wealth . To escape from poverty, efforts must be made to earn income. Asia has been much involved in gaining material wealth in the past 3 to 5 decades. Many Asian countries are no longer as poor as before. To sustain further wealth creation, mere hard work alone will be insufficient. Asia has to make more use of wisdom or brain power. This can only be realized if Asians themselves are better trained and better able to innovate. Asia needs more qualified researchers, scientists, engineers and inventors. Creative scientific and technological manpower will be needed in large numbers if Asia is going to be the leader in the population-related areas mentioned above. New brains must found, trained and meaningfully employed in order to achieve the set goals. While training of new innovators and inventors can be done anywhere, research projects must be formulated in Asia to engage and challenge these bright and fresh brains so that their creativity will not be wasted.

(c) Asia Incorporated. The world has become borderless in terms of information, trade and finance. If Asia intends to win the competition and gain dominance in the selected areas of science and technology, Asian countries must work together. Synergy is the key. Asia has fewer innovators and inventors in comparison to Europe and the United States. So we must work together. Many more Asia-wide programs and research centers must be established for research and development in food, health, energy and environment. Ways must be found to pool manpower and resources from participating countries in Asia to support these types of programs and centers. Regional organizations such as ASEAN and APEC should be motivated to promote and to establish regional programs and R&D centers on various fields pertinent to the population-related science and technology. This type of endeavor will be long-term and needs continuing commitments from benefiting Asian countries. Short-term successes in such programs or centers will be essential because they will help sustain the regional cooperation.

(d) World linkage. Asia in the next century cannot be isolated from the rest of the world. On the contrary, Asia will gain more by forming close links with Europe and the United States. Globalized information system and trade practices will become even more powerful in the future. Asian science and technology will benefit from being a part and parcel of these global networks.

To Begin

A starting point must be found in the rough road map outlined above. This gathering is certainly a good forum to debate this idea. After some deliberation if we are convinced that the global landscape of science and technology in the next millennium has to be more balanced, we must persuade our leaders to join us in taking the first step of changing the mindset. Then we shall begin making the subsequent changes that should bring about a more harmonious world in the next century.

Any Pitfalls?

Certainly extreme care must be taken in making the changes. Some mechanism must be agreed upon in order to initiate the formulation of appropriate Asian research centers and research programs. Funding must be found. It is to be hoped that, the crisis in Asia will be over soon and the funding prospect will be brighter in the near future. Coordination between the regional research and national research will have to be put in place to ensure a fair share of the benefits among the participating members. Competition and collaboration among countries are both necessary in the future. Ways must be established to ensure fair and beneficial competition and collaboration. If and when these and other related issues are properly handled, not only Asia will be a better place in the world but the world as a whole will also be better in the next millennium.

Presented in the Fifth Asian Conference on Scientific Cooperation
"Urgent Tasks Facing Science in Asia�Towards Sustainable Development",
11-13 March, 1998, Tokyo, Japan.

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