Part 12/14:
The contemporary race is not solely about achieving technical superiority; it's also a display of national strength and influence. Each demonstration of rapid duplication or technological feat acts as a "flex," reinforcing a nation’s stature on the world stage. China’s open-source initiatives, for example, are not just pragmatic—they are strategic soft power plays designed to disseminate their model, influence global standards, and challenge U.S. dominance.
This shift toward building strategic assets openly underscores a broader transformation: the nature of technological competition has evolved from secret projects into public displays of capability, with nations vying for influence through both technological prowess and narrative dominance.