Last weekend I met someone who lives in China. I have read a lot about China recently with respect to the influence it has over the U.S. economy. Speaking with someone who lives there and runs a factory there has only reinforced what I have read. Do not underestimate China.

It is no secret that many of the products that we buy in the U.S. are manufactured in China. I didn’t realize how bad it really was until a few years ago. I was working for Applied Biochemists and I was assigned the task of finding a gift for a visiting customer. Ironically he was from South Korea. The one requirement (besides the monetary one), was that it was something manufactured in the U.S.A. If it said “made in China” it would not be acceptable. My friend and I searched for hours to try to find something that was manufactured in the U.S.A. Try it some time, it is not an easy task.

The manufacturing industry in the U.S. is trailing behind other countries like China. Some will argue that it is because it is burdened with many government regulations that inhibits growth in the manufacturing industry, or that it relates to the strength of the dollar. These are both valid arguments. There is another factor that I think plays a big role and many refuse to discuss it because it forces them to take a closer look at themselves. What is it? Two simple words – work ethic.

I don’t mean to imply that this is a quality absent from all Americans. However if you think you are a workaholic – take a closer look at China. Mr. Lee’s nephew informed me that the workers in his factory work seven days a week and ten hour days. (On the plus side lunch is provided for the workers by the employer. It is the same where my husband works here in South Korea.) Many of the Chinese workers live on as little as one hundred dollars a month. In addition to this they manage to save most of it to buy a house. Even if you account for the difference in the cost of living there it is still pretty amazing.

Many American’s think that China needs the United States, that the American consumer is what props up the economy of China. That is what Peter Schiff likes to call a “comforting distortion.”

Peter Schiff does a great job explaining the fallacies of this premise in his book “Crash Proof 2.0″.  One of the allegories he gives describes six people stranded on an island, (five Asians and one American). The problem they face is hunger. The Asians are each assigned a task: fishing, cleaning, hunting, gathering, cooking, etc. The only job of the American is to consume. So basically the Asians work long hours of the day, (because Asian countries are producers and savers), while the American tans himself on the beach all day (America is a culture dominated by consuming and spending). How long will this scenario continue? How long before the 5 people who are actually doing all the work get sick of it and kick the American off the island? How long would you do all the work while watching someone else enjoy all the fruits of your labor?

I would love to visit China, especially Shanghai. I am glad that we know someone who lives there now. One of my favorite movies is “The Painted Veil” because of the beautiful scenery, and the story takes place in China. I wouldn’t want to be there in the middle of a Cholera epidemic though.

I did learn a little more about South Korea as well. They have 12 different political parties here. When their Congress is in session it can get very rowdy, (throwing chairs is not uncommon). It is very difficult to get Koreans to agree on anything, and many are very old fashioned.

Mr. Lee’s nephew told us that when he graduated from college his father told him that he was going to work at the factory in China. He had no problem with this even though he loved California (he had lived there since he was ten). He was “grateful for everything his father had done for him and it was the least he could do to pay him back”. That really left an impression on me, the sense of duty and obedience.

While discussing Korean food he asked me if I had tried dog yet. I almost choked on my Escargot – dog is one food I refuse to try. I am too emotionally attached to dogs and cats as pets. I couldn’t do it. I might try Scorpion if I go to China though, apparently it is very popular there.

True story – the language barrier works both ways. In America Koreans have been confused by “dog food”, and have actually bought it and eaten it thinking it was “dog”. Hearing this made me wonder what I have eaten by accident. I really need to learn Korean.

I really am enjoying my time here so far, in many ways it is a humbling experience.