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For certain goods, tools are a good example, I try not to buy Chinese and look for tools made in the US. If US tools aren't an option, I'll still try to avoid Chinese.
Other goods, like electronics, it's way too complicated trying to understand where the components originate, so it's not really practical.
Obviously for tools, handtools are EZ, the high end specialty/industrial is not super difficult, power tools it's darn near impossible to buy US (and I can't say that 'final assembly' counts as 'made in USA').
Electronic components are a crazy world and more fragile than I'd like. Check out how few companies and factories there are for hard disk drives for example (all overseas of course). It would be trivial to see a drastic worldwide shortage of some items with a failure at the right part of the supply chain.
I'd hate to see the US collapse because we can't make our own aglets or power drill motors, perhaps the improvements in small scale manufacturing will alleviate the vulnerability.
I wonder sometimes if the reverse is true. Could the Chinese do without US-made goods entirely? I don't doubt that they are planning with that in mind.
The endgame:
. China owns beaucoup US .gov bonds
. China is the sole source for a lot of everyday items, including the supply chain to make them
. China is self-sufficient with the exception of raw materials bought through long-term contracts/ownership in the 3rd world
. China becomes self-sufficient at all levels including aerospace, CPU design, software, heavy industrial equipment
The further you go down that road, the less polite they are going to be. Bank on it.
US goods are of little importance to China, but our market is critically important to the Chinese.
If Home Depot closes, the consumer goes to Lowes.
If the consumer stops shopping at Lowes, what does Lowes do?
I stopped buying chinese.
You get what you pay for.
Just got tired of being burnt with low quality junk every time. So I'll pay a little more for non chinese products.
Still eat their food though like there's no tomorrow.
Of course, we all know how stupid the Chinese are and how they don't operate in their own national self-interest. Why would anyone try to make all their own stuff?
I stopped buying chinese.
You get what you pay for.
Just got tired of being burnt with low quality junk every time. So I'll pay a little more for non chinese products.
Still eat their food though like there's no tomorrow.
No you didn't. You can't.
You are using many Chinese products this instant. When you get your brakes done the pads come from China. When you go to the doctor or hospital all the stands that hold the monitors (well, and the monitors too!) are from China.
Smithfield Farms, the largest US Pork Producer, is Chinese owned. We could go on to 10's of thousands of products...but suffice it to say you haven't stopped buying Chinese...
Surely you know the Core Routers that operate the internet are made in China? You don't own any cameras or web security cams?
Do you use the cellular network and pay your bill? Streaming or cable?
Speaking of my question (are they making an effort towards self sufficiency)
Of course, we all know how stupid the Chinese are and how they don't operate in their own national self-interest. Why would anyone try to make all their own stuff?
When they have 5X as many people as we do and the work ethic...and, of course, to protect themselves against crazy people like Trump.
1.5 Billion people is enough to create a world in itself. 320 Million, largely spoiled or jaded....Americans cannot.
Europeans must be stupid also...like Canadians. They all have universal health care. Why don't we?
Automobiles is one of the products that still are widely available to the American consumer.. other than that there isn't much... for which all of my vehicles are for the most part US made.
There are many examples of cities that are now derelict because manufacturing was outsourced. One prime example was textiles. Why outsourced? Because again... US labor isn't competitive (due to a variety of reasons not all are in control of the laborer)
I don't see how Autos are widely available unless you include Japanese, Korean, European and Chinese factories which are here....
Ford stopped making sedans...and Ford has went overseas for parts, engineering, entire vehicles and a lot of other stuff.
There are so many definitions here....are the raw materials from here? Is the corporation owned by Americans?
The Camry is the "most American car"...which sorta makes that whole thing a joke.
The Textile thing....well, that's my family business. It had zero to do with workers, who weren't making anything above a lower-middle class (if that!) living. I'd say NONE of the reasons were the labor....
The reasons were the same that caused every industry to move - bean-counters at the top in all the major corporations. They (Sears, Walmart, Etc.) all insisted that small business (vendors) move overseas...
IMHO, if we look at this as "bad" (and that is questionable given the success of Boston, NYC, Silicon Valley, LA, etc. in economic terms), then there is no one responsible directly other than the top dogs and Wall Street.
The stock became more important than the product in about 1970 and that was that. Why worry about the hard work of making something if a hostile buyout can create more "wealth" in a day than working for years?
Today most Americans still worship the almighty buck....the people were conned into it. They took it and swallowed it whole.
The silliest part of all of this is that anyone thinks they can change what already is LONG over. There is zero hope of that - and, it really doesn't matter anyway since future factories (and even present ones) use massive automation and so will not have the need for vast numbers of employees.
Besides, Reagan and other busted all the Unions so any line jobs are going to pay as little as possible and force people to work harder and harder. That's the way our system works.
For the most part I look at value first. For food items or pet items, I do not buy anything made in China. NOW, as with so many things (like supplements), sometimes the ingredients DO come from China, but there is only so much one can do.
I've always had Japanese cars and love them, for trucks we stay American (but yeah, parts come from all different countries).
Appliances? Who knows, the house came with Kitchen Aid. Is that American? Because almost everything has broke one way or another within 4 years. I suppose it is like vehicles, parts are made all over.
Otherwise a bunch of stuff is from China, and haven't ever had a big problem. Some of the stuff is 50% (or more) less than local brands and I love it. Is that taking from Americans? Nope, because if it was at the more expensive price....... I just would not buy it.
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Appliances are one of my biggest pet peeves when it comes to quality anymore. My family, co-workers, and friends are realizing this first hand as all this new stuff just doesn't last. Many of us have reverted to our old standby's….finding that low hour paired washer/dryer that lasts decades for $100 on craigslist from some poor soul that just charged $5,000 worth of matching high end *looking* appliances on their credit card, that are going to be in the scrap bin long before their old ones will be.
Kitchen Aid is high on the fail list. Only a small handful of the new offerings are any good anymore. Kitchen Aid's dishwasher, microwave(shorted out once and wiring caught fire-was replaced by warranty, then died again), electric can opener, several meat thermometers, and a toaster oven have all found their way from my household to the landfill in the last few years, will buy no more. Toaster oven, meat thermometers, and can opener were made in China. Dishwasher and microwave had a lot of Chinese parts but not sure where they were assembled.
By the way, China's 2025 program is about more than being self-sufficient. Through their government "investing" in manufacturing (they own the land and buildings so can set-up any Chinese manufacturer with a facility), their goal is to monopolize 90% of the worlds manufacturing by 2025. Just like a casino that the gamblers can't stop going to, the (Chinese) house wins, and eventually will have all of the consumer nations money.
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I suppose it is like vehicles, parts are made all over.
