Desert railway - photo

[KustomsbyKent]

I've worked in China off and on for 7 years. Be careful when you think that they are all hard done by dollar a day workers. You couldn't be more wrong. The average person in China earns a wage that is comfortable enough in China. It wouldn't work in the U.S. but for where they are they are doing just fine. To much political baloney has been spread about the working people in China. When you are there it is quite an eye opener. In a great many ways China is far ahead of most Western countries. And like many Western countries has areas that are. Telecoms, Payments. Everything can be paid for with your cellphone if you want. People work hard because they are a money driven community. Money is a security. As of now there is no state run pension system. There is no personal income tax. Wouldn't that be nice!

When I'm there I can get things made at very high quality standards by very skilled people for usually less than the cost of the raw material here in Canada. And what blows me away is that everyone in the chain of supply, purchase and production is still making a living. Nothing is free in China.

And knowing factory owners I can tell you first hand that there are indeed shortages of workers. It all depends where and when. Just like any other larger country.

I agree with what you've said above. Lived in Shanghai China for 5.5 years, and I continue to go over there on business trips as well.
Their infrastructure and growth is so impressive, and the work ethic of the people as well. They have turned into a capitalistic society, and communism is just barely there.
Certainly they have their downsides...