The Last Days of Cheap Chinese [View All]

[Doctor Cynic]

A good article suggesting that China can no longer sustain its status as the world's everyday low price shop: http://www.slate.com/id/2188409/

If you don't want to read, it lists many converging factors:

Falling USD (China slowly allows their yuan to rise)
Rising inflation in China
Wages rising at double digit rates
Tougher labour laws, and emerging unions that have some real power
Falling numbers of young people willing to work in factories
Chinese government finally getting its act together with real laws

There's no big alternative for China

Millions of Vietnamese can work, but because Vietnam is much smaller, average wages will rise at a faster rate
India is too busy answering your calls about Windows XP, and its infrastructure is not up to par

Very soon there will be no country with teeming masses willing to work for 10 cents an hour.

Made-in-China goods will still be at Wal Mart, but they will become more expensive and more of it will go to those who make them.