Innovation, which is the driving force behind a country's military power, is critical to China's rise, Robert Ross, a researcher from the John King Fairbank Center for Chinese Studies, said on Thursday in Beijing.

Ross, who is also a professor of Political Science at Boston College, made the remark during a symposium with the theme "Can China Overtake the United States?" held by the Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies at Renmin University.

The professor analyzed the impossibility of China overtaking the United States, taking into account the two countries' economic, trade, monetary and military power, during which he underlined that innovation is critical for a rising power in terms of its defense capacity.

"Money is not enough to develop into high-tech military power," said Ross. "In the 19th century, rifles, railways and even tanks were widely accessible for wealthy countries, and all you need was money."

However, he said, the relation between Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and military power is complex in the 21st Century. "Without the capability to innovate, a country's military will be dependent on foreign suppliers to wage war."

He noted the Chinese government's emphasis on innovation campaigns can be seen everywhere along the subway stations. But he said there remains a wall between universities and industry, which can block the process of innovation.

According to Ross, universities in the United States collaborate well with industry, and inventions and ideas can be put into productivity quickly. But in China, people can rarely see such communication.

"The challenge for China will be to develop a high-tech innovation capacity," Ross said.

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