On China’s Engineering Mindset

Book review of Breakneck : China's Quest to Engineer the Future by Dan Wang

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.55763/ippr.2025.06.05.005

Abstract

This article reviews Dan Wang's book Breakneck, which contrasts China's "engineering state" - characterised by its industrial scale and rapid mobilisation - with America's "lawyerly society" described as unambitious and paralysed by procedural constraints. The review praises Wang's vivid, on-the-ground analysis of China’s technocratic capabilities and social-engineering excesses, and critiques the book for lacking rigorous economic foundations and failing to offer concrete policy solutions for revitalizing American industry.

Keywords:

Engineering State, Reshoring Manufacturing, US–China Competition, Industrial Policy, Deindustrialisation

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Author Bio

Shobhankita Reddy, The Takshashila Institution

Shobhankita Reddy is a research analyst with the High Tech Geopolitics programme.

References

Briefing, China. 2025. “China’s 15th Five-Year Plan Recommendations - Key Takeaways.” China Briefing News. November 26, 2025. https://www.china-briefing.com/news/chinas-15th-five-year-plan-recommendations-key-takeaways-for-foreign-businesses/.

Jones, Seth G. 2023. “The U.S. Industrial Base Is Not Prepared for a Possible Conflict With China.” https://features.csis.org/preparing-the-US-industrial-base-to-deter-conflict-with-China/.

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Published

2025-12-11

Issue

Vol. 6 No. 5 (2025): Indian Public Policy Review

Section

Economics