In the complex matrix of international trade and economy, the Global Production Network (GPN) plays a crucial role. It has transformative effects on the industrial configuration of middle-income economies such as China and Brazil. The two nations, despite being on the same economic tier, have traversed starkly different paths within the GPN and thus, present a compelling case study. China has astutely navigated the GPN, using it as a springboard for industrial upgrading and innovation enhancement. The nation has deftly turned the GPN to its advantage, leveraging it to boost its manufacturing prowess to an enviable global position. The Chinese strategy, rooted in a keen understanding of GPN dynamics, has…