Outside Looking In...

A few interesting articles on China:

• How US manufacturing can compete against China (FT). Despite the hype, US manufacturing isn't going away. Recently the environment has been better for domestic manufacturers given the increased costs of shipping/energy and changing Chinese policies regarding the VAT. Further, where speed is of importance or innovation/development is critical, China continues to lag significantly.
  
  
• On the strength of the China's Manufacturing Sector (Cato). "Until the 19th century, China had been the world leader in manufacturing for over a millennium. It lost that position during the so-called 150 years of shame and humiliation at the hands of inept leaders and foreign powers. The reclaiming of the title could be taken as the formal introduction of a new era."
  
  
• The "Little Emperors" (Psychology Today via Instapundit): "Coddled from infancy and raised to be academic machines, China's only children expect the world. Now they're buckling under the pressure of their parents' deferred dreams."