These countries manufacture because they see 1. the economic value and 2. they understand the long term benefits both economic and strategic to actually make stuff and not only consume.
You're still stuck in China of 40 years ago mentality. Newsflash, they are the number 1 maker of EV's, they make a shit ton of robotics/drones, they are building nuclear reactors at break neck speed, they already produce 2x electricity we do (which is the new indicator of who is likely to win the AI race as it's incredibly energy intensive) they are heavily investing in high end manufacturing of the future. And all of this is supported and encouraged by their own government, both through direct investment and currency manipulation.
TBH we're destined to lose the economic war with China, they are aligned on progress, while here we have low IQ people that so hate Trump that they'd rather he put zero pressure on high industry to domesticate production because they want to prove he's bad. Mate, all my posts have been on topic, while your Trump centric posts pepper PARD throughout, regardless of topic, he is your center of gravity on quite literally everything.
Yes, we know you have an obsession with your daddy Trump, let me acknowledge that right now so we can move past it.
Some of the issues you talk about regarding America are correct. We need to build nuclear, and we need to cut away regulation that is holding us back unnecessarily. I think we're aligned on our objectives. But then Trump does something that either doesn't benefit those objectives, or harms them, and you pretend he's made some masterful move. And that's where we stand now.