.I hate
to say it or even think about it but someday perhaps China will take
over selling autos/trucks/vans in America.
cuhulin


Mercedes Benz is also starting up in China. I beleive they also layed off
German engineers and hired foreign engineers.

Its one thing to say that a new competitor enters with inovative products
that competes with well known proven names such as Sony for example. But to
produce a product that offers no significant technological improvment and is
simply meant to copy and undercut the competition through cheap labour and
by keeping your currency significantly undervalued relative to the Japanese
Yen, well. The end result can only be - there goes the neighborhood.
Excellence in product will no longer be available unless your willing to pay
a fortune. There will only be low end consumer junk or very high end
military/commercial gems.

I only hope that the likes of Icom, Kenwood and JRC can weather the currency
wars and remain in the amateur/swl business.
The Chinese consumers are certainly not buying (can't afford) foreign
products at the current low value of the Yuan .

If the US$ (which the value of the Chinese Yuan is currently pegged to)
continues its decline the Drake R8B will be looking mighty cheap to foreign
buyers. But so will cheap Chinese made radios if the currency peg remains
in place.

It all hinges on the currency exchange and cost of labour - economics.