GoodFellows: Conversations on Economics, History & Geopolitics Who’s Going To Win The Future? Dan Wang on China’s Engineers vs. America’s Lawyers | GoodFellows | Hoover Institution
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Oct 3, 2025 
Dan Wang, an esteemed research fellow at the Hoover Institution and author of "Breakneck: China’s Quest to Engineer the Future," shares his insights on the contrasting ambitions of China and America. He discusses how China’s aggressive engineering drive faces demographic challenges, while America grapples with litigation and its effects on innovation. Wang critiques China’s global initiatives and examines the sustainability of its social engineering policies, providing a captivating glimpse into the complex dynamics shaping the future of these superpowers.
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Lived Experience Of China's Policy Swings
- Wang recounts living in China through the 2017–2023 period and witnessing policy swings like cracking down on tech and property.
- He notes these own goals raised youth unemployment and slowed domestic dynamism before a later pivot to court tech titans again.
Demography Matters Later
- China's demographic decline is real but currently gradual; near-term industrial capacity remains large enough for advanced manufacturing.
- Wang says demographic pain bites over decades, not immediately, leaving China competitive now.
Study, Don't Copy; Use Targeted Industrial Policy
- Study which Chinese industrial policies actually worked and selectively adopt pragmatic industrial strategies.
- Use targeted training, partnerships, and selective subsidies to rebuild manufacturing without copying the CCP wholesale.
