The Sino-German alliance for the fourth industrial revolution: dynamics and policy implications

This paper tries to answer to the recent discussion concerning the interaction between China and Germany in the field of Industry 4.0, pointing out the policy implications of this collaboration. The analysis is carried out at both qualitative and quantitative levels, with a main focus on the specific features of each country. The qualitative analysis identifies for both Germany and China the features of the innovation systems and the strategies implemented to boost the innovation process. The quantitative analysis exploits trade data, patent data and a bibliometric approach to identify trends that demonstrate the close cooperation of China and Germany. All the analytical process is conducted keeping in mind the environment of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. As a final goal, the paper provides insights on the policy implications that the Sino-German alliance has in both countries.