We do import so much shit from China. It's not because it's cheaper there, it's because they have legitimately built their entire manufacturing capability off of EXTREMELY low wage and completely unregulated factories. We actually SHIP THE MATERIALS and SHIP THEM BACK and that's cheaper than just keeping it here, manufacturing it and distributing it here. I think a lot of people don't realize the damage that globalization has caused to the planet + to the facade of China doing anything other than being a horrific labor provider. China doesn't make margin on the finished good cost, they make money on the services they provide to put the good together. The reason a lot of things are just cheaper there is because they don't have the high cost of making sure factory workers don't die, they don't have to pay them shit, they can do whatever they want as long as they've aligned with the government etc. There isn't some magic technology that exists in china that makes them able to deliver labor or manufacturing cheaper.
China exports some high value stuff and they've embargoed that (rare earth metals, etc) China isn't betting on Americans voting for trump again, they don't give a shit. This is like fumbling on the 1 yard line on 1st down, but not just any fumble, a fumble where the ball was snapped, the Quarterback ran backwards and is headed for the wrong endzone to fumble it on purpose and start doing a TD celebration while the offensive line and everyone else make sure the other team recovers the fumble in the endzone for a touchdown by screaming and yelling "it's over here it's over here"
Europe, BRICS or Asia minus China.
Europe has the best chance because they've already done the EU thing.
None of that will happen though, what happens is we go back to a zero sum world where everyone's prosperity is determined solely by their own capability and resources, global trade as we know it will transform back to domestically centric trade. Listen to the PM of Singapore, that is what's going to happen, he's dead on what it means.
holy fuck.