China Business Network: "Raising Lobsters" is Not "Awarding Lobsters" — Real Innovation Doesn't Need "Force-Feeding"

Gelonghui March 12 | An article published by The Paper comments that since Shenzhen Longgang District announced the OpenClaw “Lobster Ten Rules” for intelligent agents, Wuxi High-tech Zone, Changshu City in Suzhou, Hefei High-tech Zone, Xiaoshan District in Hangzhou, Qixia High-tech Zone, and Jiangning District in Nanjing have followed suit. The craze of “raising lobsters” has quickly spread from the geek community and capital markets to local government investment promotion efforts. While people marvel at local governments’ deep understanding of new technologies and precise grasp of new industry development opportunities, some common issues in investment promotion deserve close attention.

“Raising lobsters” should not turn into “rewarding lobsters.” The most direct, noticeable, and “practical” aspect is the subsidy amount, and some local governments have openly listed the maximum subsidy amount in their press releases. While subsidy policies have some rationality, new business opportunities in their nascent stage face high costs and risks. Appropriate government support can lower entrepreneurial barriers and risks, allowing greater innovation and entrepreneurial spirit to flourish. However, subsidy policies should focus on “ensuring basic needs” and not turn into competitions over scale or coverage. Financial resources are scarce and precious; they should be more effectively used on employment, education, and other livelihood issues.

“Raising lobsters” should not turn into “fattening shrimp.” The success of a new technology is always the result of market selection. Market choice must consider availability, cost, safety, and other factors, and the development of intelligent agents follows these principles. Comprehensive subsidies for computing power, data, models, office, accommodation, and transportation indeed lower entrepreneurial barriers. However, products developed on this basis often have artificially suppressed costs, and without subsidies, their commercialization stories become difficult to sustain. If similar “fattening shrimp” appear in large numbers, the market will ultimately be cleared through brutal淘汰, incurring enormous economic costs.