Analysis of Strategic Layout of Future Industries by Major Global Economies

Analysis of Strategic Layout of Future Industries by Major Global Economies

Summary of Future Industry Strategic Layouts

Currently, major global economies are accelerating their strategic layouts for future industries, striving to seize strategic high grounds amid the waves of technological revolution and industrial transformation.

Against this backdrop, countries such as the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, Japan, South Korea, and the European Union have launched a series of strategic plans and policy supports covering key areas such as artificial intelligence, quantum technology, engineering biology, semiconductors, and future communications. At the same time, these countries are enhancing the attraction and cultivation of high-end talent and improving technological innovation ecosystems to achieve a full-chain layout from technological research and development to industrialization.

Under this global competitive landscape, the structure and evolution of future industries will profoundly impact the economic development and technological strength of various countries.

The following is a summary of the strategic layouts for future industries among major global economies compiled by HuiRui Consulting: 

Source: Government documents from major countries, compiled by Bossonresearch

Deployment of Future Industries by Major Countries

United States: Emerging Technology Clusters

The United States focuses on developing emerging technology clusters to drive breakthroughs in future industries. In 2019, the Trump administration released the "American Leadership in Emerging Industries" report, elevating future industries to a national strategy. Through legislation such as the "NSF for the Future Act" and the "Endless Frontier Act," the U.S. aims to make substantial investments in emerging technology clusters, particularly in artificial intelligence, advanced manufacturing, and quantum information science. The Biden administration continued this strategy, proposing an investment of $180 billion in future technology research and emphasizing the role of technological breakthroughs in promoting employment and exports through the "American Jobs Plan." Additionally, the U.S. is establishing future industry research institutes, creating new technology management agencies, and strengthening talent cultivation to build a future workforce system, forming a collaborative network of government, industry, and academia. 

China: Layout of Future Industries Around Six Major Directions

China encourages and supports enterprises to take the lead in layout and continuous investment to build new advantages for future development. At present, China's strategic emerging industries account for about 13% of GDP, with huge room for growth and potential. For emerging industries such as new materials, artificial intelligence, intelligent networked new energy vehicles, new energy storage, hydrogen energy, biomanufacturing, commercial aerospace, and low-altitude economy, a group of leading enterprises with strong ecological dominance should be cultivated to form more emerging pillar industries that can lead industrial upgrading.

In January 2024, China issued the Implementation Opinions on Promoting the Innovative Development of Future Industries, focusing on six major directions, namely future manufacturing, future information, future materials, future energy, future space, and future health, and making forward-looking arrangements for future industrial development. In the next step, China will focus on the six major directions, including humanoid robots, brain-computer interfaces, metaverse, next-generation Internet, 6G, quantum technology, atomic-level manufacturing, deep-sea aerospace development, etc., implement a number of scientific research projects, form a number of iconic products, and build a number of business incubators.

Japan: “Society 5.0” Vision

Japan is guiding the development of future industries through the “Society 5.0” vision, aiming to achieve a high level of integration between virtual and real spaces by utilizing modern communication technologies to address social issues and promote economic growth. Since proposing “Society 5.0” in 2016, Japan has continuously released policy documents such as the "Future Investment Strategy 2017" and the "New Industrial Structure Blueprint," focusing on eight strategic areas and building 16 systems and databases. Key measures include promoting intellectual property strategies, constructing open strategies, enhancing public-private cooperation in environmental fields, and driving industrial and service innovation through the “Society 5.0” concept.

United Kingdom: Addressing Future Challenges

The United Kingdom promotes future industries by addressing four major challenges: artificial intelligence, carbon emissions, population aging, and future transportation. The 2017 white paper, "Industrial Strategy: Building a Britain Fit for the Future," proposed supporting four future industries through the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund (ISCF). The UK government also established 13 future manufacturing research centers to promote the commercialization of early-stage research and accelerate the application of new technologies and business models. Measures include strengthening talent development, investing in infrastructure, establishing cooperative networks with industry, and promoting future industries through joint public and manufacturing sector investments.

France: Future Investment Plans

Since 2010, France has launched four phases of the “Future Investment Plan,” with a total investment of 77 billion euros covering key areas such as future industries, future factories, and future transportation. In 2021, France announced the fourth phase of the plan, continuing to promote the development of future industries and proposing the “Acceleration Strategy” to address major economic and technological challenges. Key measures include coordinating actions across departments through a national mechanism led by the Prime Minister’s Office, strengthening innovation infrastructure construction, and promoting technology transfer and commercialization.

Germany: Strengthening Future Industry Investment

To overcome the impact of the 2008 financial crisis and the European debt crisis, Germany introduced the “High-Tech Strategy 2020” in 2010, proposing the concept of “Industry 4.0.” However, the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 severely hit Germany’s manufacturing sector, particularly core industries like automotive manufacturing. In response, Germany swiftly regarded future industries as a key pathway to overcoming challenges and increased investment and support in high-tech fields.

Germany’s development strategy includes three main aspects:

Infrastructure Enhancement: Improving emergency capabilities and digital infrastructure through the “Hospital Future Program” and expanding electric vehicle charging networks and 5G communication systems.

Diverse Support Measures: Encouraging future industry growth through increased R&D tax breaks, reduced corporate investment thresholds, electricity subsidies, equity investments, and providing subsidies and tax incentives for electric vehicle purchases.

Investments in Frontier Technologies: Emphasizing areas such as quantum computing, 6G communication, and low-carbon construction to maintain a leading position in global technological competition.

South Korea: Manufacturing-Based Strategy

South Korea has long relied on memory chips as its dominant industry, but with the gradual ineffectiveness of the “Fast Follower Strategy,” as well as challenges from an aging population and global economic sluggishness, industrial transformation is urgently needed. In 2019, the South Korean government released the "Manufacturing Renaissance Strategy Blueprint," proposing an investment of 8.4 trillion won by 2030 in emerging industries such as system chips, future mobility, and biotechnology. Additionally, the Ministry of Science and ICT introduced the "Government Mid- to Long-Term R&D Investment Strategy (2019–2023)," focusing on areas like artificial intelligence, big data, information security, food, computing, and biomedicine.

South Korea’s key strategies for promoting future industries include:

PPP Model: Encouraging private capital to actively participate in future industry investments through Public-Private Partnership (PPP) models.

Innovative Regulatory Measures: Introducing negative list systems and regulatory sandboxes to reduce restrictions on emerging industries.

Standardization Strategy: Actively participating in international standard-setting for electric vehicles, hydrogen energy vehicles, etc., to enhance technological influence.

Infrastructure Development: Strengthening the construction of big data platforms, AI centers, and 5G communication networks to provide robust support for future industries.

Conclusion and Key Findings

Overall, countries are focusing on the integration of future technologies and industries around the three key themes of "Health, Digital Intelligence, and Green Development." Their strategic approaches to future industrial development are mainly concentrated in the following areas:

1.       Key Technological Fields:

Artificial Intelligence and Quantum Technology: The United States, the United Kingdom, and South Korea are increasing investment in R&D and industrial applications of AI and quantum information science.

Life Health and Biotechnology: Japan and the European Union emphasize technological breakthroughs and innovative applications in life health and engineering biology.

Advanced Manufacturing and Digital Technology: The United States and Germany are continuously increasing investments in intelligent manufacturing, digital technology, and semiconductor technology.

Green Energy and Carbon Neutrality Technologies: The European Union and the United Kingdom are promoting green technological innovation through hydrogen energy, energy storage technologies, and low-carbon industrial development.

2.       Establishing a Full Chain from Basic Research to Industrialization:

The United States has established institutions like AI Research Institutes, Quantum Information Centers, and Advanced Semiconductor Manufacturing Institutes.

The United Kingdom formed the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) to integrate future technological resources and established the Advanced Research and Invention Agency (ARIA).

Germany and France have built collaborative innovation parks connecting academia and industry, such as the Martinsried Life Sciences Campus in Bavaria and the Munich Quantum Valley in Germany.

3.       Financial Support, Fund Establishment, and Policy Incentives to Guide Industrial Transformation:

The United States, the United Kingdom, and the European Union are providing large-scale R&D funding and special equity funds to support high-tech enterprise innovation.

Germany is supporting startups and high-growth enterprises through mechanisms like the Future Fund and ERP Special Fund.

South Korea is fostering world-class chip design companies and strengthening commercialization support for cutting-edge technologies.

4.       Emphasis on Talent Development:

The United States is enhancing top-level design for STEM education and establishing interdisciplinary talent cultivation mechanisms.

Japan has introduced systems for Special High-Level Talent and Future Creative Talent to optimize the research environment.

The European Union has launched the “European Charter for Researchers” to improve working conditions for researchers at all career stages.

Germany has revised the “Academic Fixed-Term Employment Act” to improve working conditions in the research sector. 

Knowing oneself and understanding others is key to success. To seize the initiative in the new round of global competition and achieve a leading position in future industries, we should fully learn from the experience of major economies in their future industrial planning. Exploring suitable directions and pathways for developing future industries will be essential. Companies can also adjust their development strategies in line with the strategic layouts of various countries to support their expansion into future industries. 

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