Australia should pay close attention to China: CSIRO

Australia should pay close attention to how new technology is taken up in China, as it will likely have a global impact in the future, according to a leading CSIRO scientist.

Speaking from Australia's first ICT summit in Shanghai, CSIRO Information Sciences group executive Dr Alex Zelinsky told Computerworld Chinese companies are contributing to the country's global strength.

"China is now emerging as a major player, with companies such as Huawei becoming a major global company with $25 billion plus in revenue, and of this more than two-thirds of revenue outside China," Zelinsky said.

"Australia needs to engage with China's innovation sector as Chinese companies begin to look for global partners to drive future product developments."

The summit brought together almost 70 policy makers, industry leaders and researchers who focused discussions on wireless broadband, sensor networks and e-health.

See related slideshow: CSIRO hosts ICT summit in China

Zelinsky said all three areas focus areas have strong connections with the national broadband network (NBN), and that discussions have commenced around Australian-Chinese collaboration on the development of such technologies.

"The CSIRO is developing new wireless technologies that have potential to impact the rollout of the NBN, and is seeking commercial partnerships in China for the productisation of the technology."

Earlier this year the Australia-China Research Centre for Wireless Communications opened, a joint collaboration by the CSIRO and Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications.