A critical asymmetry exists in the US-China competition: It is far harder for the U.S. to rebuild its complex manufacturing ecosystems and tacit process knowledge than it is for China to improve its scientific research capabilities, where it is already making significant strides.

According to Nvidia's CEO Jensen Huang, China's real threat in the AI race isn't just its technology but its centralized ability to bypass the state-by-state regulations and power constraints bogging down US companies. While the US debates 50 legislative frameworks, China rapidly deploys infrastructure, creating a significant speed advantage.

China operates as a high-agency "engineering state" that executes relentlessly on large-scale projects. In contrast, America's deliberative, litigious society often leads to endless delays and failures on major infrastructure goals like the California high-speed rail, highlighting a fundamental difference in state capacity and approach.

The U.S. has a historical engineering tradition it can revive to solve its building crisis. China, however, lacks a deep-rooted liberal or lawyerly tradition of constraining state power. This path dependency makes it far easier for America to become a better builder than for China to become more rights-respecting.

China's constant building of subways, high-speed rail, and parks provides tangible proof of national improvement. This "physical dynamism" creates a powerful sense of public optimism and builds political resilience for the Communist Party, a stark contrast to the stagnation felt in the U.S.

From the transcontinental railroad to the Apollo missions, the U.S. once had a powerful engineering culture that drove national progress. This identity has been lost, replaced by a lawyerly culture that prioritizes obstruction over construction, leading to decaying infrastructure and societal stagnation.

China's "engineering state" mindset extends beyond physical projects to social engineering. The Communist Party treats its own people as a resource to be moved or molded—whether displacing a million for a dam or enforcing the one-child policy—viewing society as just another material to achieve its objectives.

The American government, particularly the Senate, is overwhelmingly composed of lawyers, creating a monolithic culture focused on legislation and obstruction. A greater diversity of professions, including more engineers, scientists, and economists, is needed to shift the national focus toward building and problem-solving.

The US-China tech rivalry spans four arenas: creating technology, applying it, installing infrastructure, and self-sufficiency. While the U.S. excels at creating foundational tech like AI frameworks and semiconductors, China is leading in its practical application (e.g., robotics), installing digital infrastructure globally, and achieving resource independence.