US also has a very strong technology base supported by global talents.
Some in the American nativist movement have lived in an environment of America being the top destination for leading global talents that they forget what supports a large portion of their high tech system. Even the Apollo moon landing and ICBM programs were supported by Nazi scientists head hunted through operation paperclip. Currently H1B serves as an important channel for attracting top researchers who are unavailable locally. The US just like China has certain fields it's more competent in but through various talent programs its able to fill in the gaps with international talent. Nativist movements in the US are detrimental to overall American national power but they are willing to incur those costs due to a stronger desire for what they see as sovereignty and return to their ideal of America.
One of America's strengths is the use of national power to support high tech industries. They've used non-market mechanisms to absorb strategic industries like with Canada's C-Series jets. Place 300% tariffs as a means of intimidation, lift tariffs once Bombardier announces it will not have a future jet program. Many of these engineers will eventually work for American aerospace companies. China might not need to take these measures but giving up government support for large high tech programs would be falling into a trap, same with military/civilian industry integration.
Although China is one of the top producers of domestic STEM talent, it's also important to be one of the hubs for top international talent to enhance its abilities and fill in gaps. Companies like Huawei does a good job at this. I know Canadians who work for Huawei and they don't speak Mandarin.
Productivity and robustness of a system is what produces national power where both government and private enterprise plays a key role in coordinating a positive result.
