USA and China have different approaches to the technology development.
USA is seeking a revolutionary tech that changes the world completely, like for example is IT, internet and robotic.
While China is like Japan, improving and perfecting old tech. As well as focus on big strategic technology like fusion nuclear reactor and other military technology.
I think the difference is in the mind.
USA is thinking out of the box.
While China just see what is already available or think of.
The fact that China values its relationship with the US far more than the other way around shows that China is dependent on US tech and not the other way around. The US can hurt China by withholding the export of many advanced technologies or by ending cooperation in many different fields or refusing to train Chinese students.
If there comes a day when the reverse is true, then I will concede that China is technologically superior. Right now, China is No. 2. It has made tremendous progress but still far short of beating the US as the undisputed tech leader.
Technology that China mostly depends on USA is IT.
China doesn't have its own popular OS and its ecosystem.
Once USA blocks it, it will be the end of China tech companies.
I don't know why, but Chinese seems to don't have a mind and way of thinking like Americans.
The way Chinese builds something can't be the same as Americans.
That is how China will need USA forever.