Steven Yang, PhD, may be the ultimate China life science insider. He recently became COO of WuXi AppTech (NYSE: WX) after serving first Pfizer (NYSE: PFE) and then AstraZeneca (NYSE: AZN) as head of their China/Asian drug development efforts.

In a wide ranging interview, held at the recent ChinaBio® Partnering Forum, Dr. Yang described the humble conditions of his early China university education. But late-developing countries can leapfrog old technologies, he said, moving to the forefront of innovation. Looking forward, Dr. Yang sees a remarkable future for China life science, one in which, for example, Wuxi’s entire R&D platform is offered globally through a cloud-like service. That’s a large arc in a short time.

The interview was conducted by Eric Pierce of BioCentury and is posted on EBD’s partnering360 site (see interview).