# Why China is kicking our ass

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-china-is-kicking-our-ass/1013314>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [January 24, 2025, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-china-is-kicking-our-ass/1013314 "2025-01-24T00:39:06Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\
**Post date:** [January 24, 2025, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-china-is-kicking-our-ass/1013314/21 "2025-01-24T21:01:38Z")

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Even if that is the case (and I’m not entirely sure, given their massive aging population and their economic issues), a brighter future is not exactly the same as “kicking our ass.”

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**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\
**Post date:** [January 24, 2025, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-china-is-kicking-our-ass/1013314/22 "2025-01-24T21:04:11Z")

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IMO that’s a rather pessimistic way to look at it. Another way to look it: the U.S. has moved above & beyond low-level/lower-skill manufacturing, and has focused on high-level/complex/precision manufacturing.

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**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\
**Post date:** [January 24, 2025, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-china-is-kicking-our-ass/1013314/23 "2025-01-24T21:56:24Z")

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The speed of shipping from mainland China is sometimes indeed mysteriously fast. At the same time, I’ve always had very good experience with Digikey, both personal hobby stuff and ordering professionally.

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**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\
**Post date:** [January 25, 2025, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-china-is-kicking-our-ass/1013314/24 "2025-01-25T20:10:55Z")

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It’s already been stated: cheap labor and lack of environmental concerns. Another one is likely a lack of sufficient worker safety regulations (or ignoring the ones in place).

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**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\
**Post date:** [January 25, 2025, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-china-is-kicking-our-ass/1013314/25 "2025-01-25T20:28:11Z")

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Yup. 1800s Industrial Revolution style full-blooded no-holds-barred capitalism but with 21st Century IT and finance tech.

And zero installed base of vested interests to worry about offending on the way up.

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