Subscribe to the podcast @InterestingTimesNYT for more episodes like this. Is the United States still a worthy opponent for China? In this episode, Ross Douthat talks to Dan Wang, the author of “Breakneck: China’s Quest to Engineer the Future,” about the alarming speed at which China is able to build and could blow America out of the water. 01:08 - “A life full of ease and beauty” 05:16 - Rule by engineers 10:34 - China’s Technological Mastery 15:36 - Is autocracy driving innovation? 24:44 - What are the real stakes of the competition? 35:14 - How could China fail? 51:29 - Advice for America Thoughts? Email us at interestingtimes@ . Read the full transcript here: Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.