The USA has a massive technological advantage over China thanks to automation. American factories are the most efficient in the world.
In 2010, the USA manufactured $1.855 Trillion with 11.5 million workers.
In 2010, China produced 1.922 Trillion with 120 million workers.
The efficiency of American manufacturing keeps increasing at an exponential rate. We are able to produce more goods with less workers. Labor costs are rising in China and the growth rate is slowing down.
In WW2 we had our own steel, sewed our own uniforms, made our own weapons and ammo, made our own vehicles, and processed our own chemicals. I think you can understand what I'm saying. If we rely on any foreign nation to supply for our defense production we are screwed.
Most steel mills are gone as are most Textile and chemical processing companies. These are National Security issues. If any nation can cut our supplies like our fuel then they control us. BTW you have to figure into the manufacturing equation such things as Mr Buffets mobile home manufacturing company. It's what we are manufacturing that also matters.