Most Chinese are extremely honest. There's plenty of stories about restaurant owners running out in the street, because the crazy westerner left some money on the table (Chinese don't tip).
There are dishonest Chinese, and sadly, they are the ones who seem to do well at foreign trade. The honest ones will make realistic quotes. The dishonest ones will figure they can deliver 80% of the product volume (after which point, your legal costs will outweigh the cost of suing for the last 20%), steal the IP, steal the moulds, screw their own workers and suppliers, and deliver a substandard product. The really dishonest ones just pretend to own a factory (when they just bribed or bluffed someone for use of a conference room), take your deposit and run. Guess who can deliver the lowest quotes?
China's growth is nothing special. It's similar to Korea's or Taiwan's, but about 20 years later (due to slow growth until 1989). It's slower than Japan's post-war bounce, but Japan was building back from a high mark (having had it's factories bombed to the ground, but still having the technology know-how).
The reality is, people are easy to con when they get greedy. Virtually every con in the book is based on a get-rick-quick scheme. The myth of cheap Chinese products is one such myth. Given that labor is only ~30% of many goods, it is a myth that you can cut costs in half just by employing cheaper labor.
> Virtually every con in the book is based on a get-rick-quick scheme.
This is something people like to believe because it makes them think they're immune to being scammed. It is not really the case: For example, look at fake charities, which are based on generosity, or the grandparent scam, which is based on generosity and love.
If scammers can find an emotion, the can get rich from it.
There are dishonest Chinese, and sadly, they are the ones who seem to do well at foreign trade. The honest ones will make realistic quotes. The dishonest ones will figure they can deliver 80% of the product volume (after which point, your legal costs will outweigh the cost of suing for the last 20%), steal the IP, steal the moulds, screw their own workers and suppliers, and deliver a substandard product. The really dishonest ones just pretend to own a factory (when they just bribed or bluffed someone for use of a conference room), take your deposit and run. Guess who can deliver the lowest quotes?
China's growth is nothing special. It's similar to Korea's or Taiwan's, but about 20 years later (due to slow growth until 1989). It's slower than Japan's post-war bounce, but Japan was building back from a high mark (having had it's factories bombed to the ground, but still having the technology know-how).
The reality is, people are easy to con when they get greedy. Virtually every con in the book is based on a get-rick-quick scheme. The myth of cheap Chinese products is one such myth. Given that labor is only ~30% of many goods, it is a myth that you can cut costs in half just by employing cheaper labor.