Human spaceflight isn't the only scientific and technological endeavor in which the Chinese are demonstrating gall and vision. They want to produce strong AI as well:

Nearly 500 academicians and experts specializing in artificial intelligence from across China converged here on Wednesday for a three-day conference on the development of artificial intelligence and extension engineering.

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Zhong Yixin, president of the CAAI, made a key-note speech at the opening ceremony of the conference, calling on the participants to make unswerving efforts to expedite the development process of articial intelligence and its application.

He said that it has long been a dream of the Chinese people to create various machines able to perform almost all functions of humans, and this kind of imagination can be found in both ancient and modern Chinese literature, especially novels.

"Under the circumstances of a speedy development of information network, artificial intelligence is of great significance for economic development and social progress," Zhong said.

The Chinese get it.

If we don't continue to invest heavily in cutting-edge technology, in projects that have vision, they're going to leave us in the dust.