There should be more push back against goods made in non-democratic countries like Vietnam, and not just against Made-in-China.
My previous phone was a Samsung Galaxy S5 and I was surprised to find out that it was made in Korea. Manufacturing in Korea certainly didn't seem to harm Samsung's financial prospects back then, and the phone wasn't any more expensive than its Made-in-China competitors. I have zero reservations about South Korea's workers' rights protections, workplace health and safety, and environmental regulations.
Too often the discussion becomes:
1. We shouldn't manufacture in China
2. We can't afford to manufacture in US/EU
3. Let's just manufacture in Vietnam/Cambodia/Myanmar instead
When it should be:
a. We shouldn't manufacture in non-democratic countries
b. Let's manufacture in democratic countries instead
My previous phone was a Samsung Galaxy S5 and I was surprised to find out that it was made in Korea. Manufacturing in Korea certainly didn't seem to harm Samsung's financial prospects back then, and the phone wasn't any more expensive than its Made-in-China competitors. I have zero reservations about South Korea's workers' rights protections, workplace health and safety, and environmental regulations.
Too often the discussion becomes:
1. We shouldn't manufacture in China
2. We can't afford to manufacture in US/EU
3. Let's just manufacture in Vietnam/Cambodia/Myanmar instead
When it should be:
a. We shouldn't manufacture in non-democratic countries
b. Let's manufacture in democratic countries instead