Foreign Policy Live If Americans Are Lawyers and Chinese Are Engineers, Who Is Going to Win?
Aug 25, 2025
Dan Wang, a researcher at the Hoover Institution and author of 'Breakneck: China’s Quest to Engineer the Future,' explores the U.S.-China rivalry. He highlights the contrast between America's lawyer-centric society and China's engineering focus. Dan argues that each country could significantly benefit by adopting aspects of the other's culture. The conversation delves into the challenges faced by U.S. infrastructure, the adaptive strategies of both nations, and the cutting-edge rivalry in AI chip technology, suggesting cooperation could enhance global competitiveness.
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Six Years In China During Turmoil
- Dan Wang lived in Hong Kong, Beijing, and Shanghai from 2017 to 2023 during major political and economic events.
- He experienced zero COVID, trade and tech wars, and Xi's consolidation firsthand.
Engineering State Drives Massive Buildout
- China has become an engineering state that treats problems as building and optimization tasks.
- This produced vast infrastructure and rapid growth but can lead to overreach in social policy.
Engineering Mindset Extends To Society
- China's engineering impulse extends into social policy, producing campaigns like one-child and zero COVID.
- Treating society as an engineering problem risks severe social and demographic consequences.
