Foxconn, the often-maligned manufacturing giant that produces iDevices, Nokias, and probably the gadget in your pocket, employs over 1 million people in manufacturing in China. I know at least one country that would love to have a million new manufacturing jobs. Taiwanese reports say that Terry Gou, the chairman of Foxconn, told a business meeting that he didn’t think that production lines could be moved back the United States (agreeing with Steve Jobs) but he offered an olive branch: he invited dozens of American engineers to China so Americans can learn how a modern precision factory is operated. Presumably so they can come back here and set up little Foxconns of their own–staffed with millions of robots. Here’s hoping they don’t also teach factory honchos how to keep wages down. Clearly, Chinese manufacturing is pretty confident in their own abilities, even if they can’t keep up with the demands of cutting-edge American design.
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