In 2001, China joined the World Trade Organisation, with America’s support. The US’ belief was that free trade with China could create more opportunities for Americans.
However in the past 20 years, almost 5 million manufacturing jobs in America have been lost, as factories moved overseas, creating Rust Belt de-industrialisation, a surge in poverty levels and anti-China sentiment.
Dayton, Ohio, home of the Wright brothers, was once known as “The City of 1,000 Factories” and the Silicon Valley of its age. From 2001 to 2007, the city lost almost 23,000 jobs, as factories such as General Motors shut down. Ironically in 2015, Chinese glass-maker Fuyao set up a factory in Dayton employing 2,300 workers – the subject of the Academy Award-winning documentary American Factory.
But how much is globalisation, and China in particular, to blame for America’s deindustrialisation woes, and how much the one-percenters and unequal distribution of wealth? America’s GDP after all has grown by some US$11 trillion since 2001.
CNA is an English-language news channel based in Singapore.
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