Yes. It is the creation of THINGS from nothing or from less expensive THINGS that gives jobs to middle and low wage earners.
It’s a simple fact. And if we’re getting our things built elsewhere, then elsewhere is getting most of the profit, not to mention the spin-off economic activity generated to produce those things.
Are we shipping our corn to China yet for them to ship Corn flakes back to us? That will be the sign to astute observers that we have lost the economic war.
Ah, but think of all the shipping jobs that will be created.
That's why China and the rest of the Asian merchantilists are willing to subsidize the manufacture and export of the end product.
Take for instance the McDonald's Happy Meal toy.
Sure the low wages are in decorating and assembling the toys, but with those jobs come the injection mold designers and builders, the plastic compounding and sales and also the machine tool design and construction etc, etc.