The problem is the gummit bungling that ties our manufacturers in knots.
EPA, Endangered Species Act, Obummer Care, on and on and on.
Chinese labor rates are blamed simply because most people do not think the problem through.
Chinese wages were a minuscule fraction of our wages long before I was born and I can assure you that was a long time ago.
So what has changed? The main thing that has changed is the gummit bureaucracy; the myriad of agencies, permits, legal issues, tax laws. etc., that make it very difficult for our industry to compete. Containerized freight and a few other things have made it cheaper to import goods from overseas, but American industry is smart enough to be able to compete with anyone providing our gummit stays out of the way.
What changed is Most Favorite Nation trading status for China, thanks to the “Free Traders” in the GOP and rat party.