[Alberta's Child]

You can't make this sh!t up, can you?

There was a great article in a recent issue of the Journal of Commerce comparing the U.S. "problem" with imports from China today with the "problem" of imports from Japan in recent decades.

One of the critical points that was made in this article was that China's current boom isn't likely to be nearly as strong in the long term as Japan's was, mainly because Chinese-made products don't have any real "identity" at all and can be made just as easily anywhere else in the world.

It never occurred to me until I read this article, but some the defining characteristics of Japanese-made products over the years have been the brand names of these products -- Sony electronics, Toyota automobiles, Kommatsu machinery, etc. Chinese-made products don't have any brand names, mainly because Chinese factories are not part of large Chinese companies that have the corporate infrastructure in place to manufacture, market, and sell products. Chinese factories are sources of cheap labor, and nothing more -- which is why they can only produce things under someone else's brand name. When a cheaper source of labor is found, they're basically out of business.

[TigerLikesRooster]

Re #17

It will take a while for them to go up to the level where they can field their own brands. Their problem is that communist party power structure is getting in the way.

[Publius6961]

One of the critical points that was made in this article was that China's current boom isn't likely to be nearly as strong in the long term as Japan's was, mainly because Chinese-made products don't have any real "identity" at all and can be made just as easily anywhere else in the world.

Another absolutely correct observation but irrelevant in the present context.
Comparing apples and oranges.

The shoddy stuff produced by Japan after the war also could have been made just as easily anywhere else in the world. But that quickly (on a historical basis) changed, and now Japan takes second place to no other country when it comes to technology and quality.

This is the 21st century, and many things have changed. Japan, with the current international business climate (including Japan's role in it), the Japan of 1946 might not have made it.

[zek157]

What about Chicago Electric? THere's a brand for you. Disposable ChiCom hand tools that perform poorly for minutes.

[Mamzelle]

re: It never occurred to me until I read this article, but some the defining characteristics of Japanese-made products over the years have been the brand names of these products)))

Me, neither, until you pointed it out! The Chinese have created NO brands that I can think of...but...I can't think of Indian brands either. This is a clear disadvantage in US markets.

[Free Vulcan]

Self ping. Great discussion.