China's Manufacturers Are Shifting Towards Zero-Labor Factories

[beijingwalker]

Chinese manufacturing industry now dominates the world, and automation can help our factories to stay in China in stead of moving to cheaper labor countries. once the manufacturing base is installed, it's very hard to move.

 

[Bussard Ramjet]

3 decades ago, it was technologically not viable. but today, it is. and China is just lucky enough to have this right time to do so.

There is nothing about time. Technology is progress curve. We still know nothing about many aspects to replace humans with robots.

Heck, we are way way way off creating a machine that can replace humans. And even, if it replaces humans in certain fields it will just increase productivity.

Lets look 500 years back. Everyone was engaged in Agriculture. Today, the population is MANY TIMES more. Yet, Agriculture with right technology and industrial policies needs very less labor.
What happened?
Humans moved to higher skilled things, where they were able to extract more out of themselves.

So keep yourselves at 500 years back, where all jobs were in Agriculture, and suppose China was having the same problem then. Would you have recommended them to halve their population, that of 500 years back, since Agriculture will be taken care by technology anyways?

Similarly, there will come a time when robot may be able to cook, or perhaps do more mundane stuff in the next 50 years, but then the race among nations will move to higher skilled things. The proportion of engineers, scientists will exponentially increase. You don't want to have less humans at that stage.

 

[beijingwalker]

China has the world's best infrastructure already, roads, ports, airports, railways...,those make the transportation of the products very fast and convenient, those combined factors make China's manufacturing industry unbeatable.

 

[Bussard Ramjet]

Japan is a very small country and its manufacturing sector has never been as strong as China's. China now is the world's No.1 manufacturing powerhouse, which enables China to rewrite the rules for the world's manufacturing industry.

No, the rules are written based on markets. And Japan was a very strong manufacturing base at one time. It is still today at high end. China even today, doesn't come close to Japan at extremely high end manufacturing.

 

[beijingwalker]

but then the race among nations will move to higher skilled things. The proportion of engineers, scientists will exponentially increase. You don't want to have less humans at that stage.

that's exactly what China is doing, we are not lazy bums waiting for things falling into our lap.

 

[Bussard Ramjet]

Because China isn't relying on the cheap labor anymore.

Walmart can move out anytime if they want, but they still choose to stay because China's infrastructure and transportation is unmatched by other nations, so to produce in China still proves to be the most cost efficient.

China's technological power is booming, so we can afford to reduce our population in the future.

So you are expecting that other countries will not catch up? Especially when China is itself planning to invest billions in infrastructure in other countries. It will be a very slippery slope to rely on other people's continuous misfortune and/or stupidity.

Every nation has its time, and today the progress can be made more rapidly. Don't forget, people used to say the same things about China.

 

[beijingwalker]

No, the rules are written based on markets. And Japan was a very strong manufacturing base at one time. It is still today at high end. China even today, doesn't come close to Japan at extremely high end manufacturing.

Japan has never been World's number 1 manufacturing nation while China is. and they target a small part of the industry while China covers all.

 

[Bussard Ramjet]

that's exactly what China is doing, we are not lazy bums waiting for things falling into our lap.

You should hold your feet on earth. Your productivity is still about a seventh that of United States. Also, as I say the number of humans in the future would determine how much you are able to put into engineering and science.

 

[beijingwalker]

once manufacturing base is installed ,its hard to move. and now most world's biggest manufacturers are Chinese, they would tend to stay in China. so the timing is very important, if you missed the chance, it's hard to get it again.

 

[Bussard Ramjet]

Japan has never been World's number 1 manufacturing nation while China is. and they target a small part of the industry while China covers all.

I never claimed that Japan was number 1. And China doesn't cover all. In almost all industries, China is at the low to medium end of the value chain. Japan and US own all the core technology.

And as I said, it will be the markets that determine these stuff. Not the manufacturing base.

 

[BigDaddyWatch]

Zero workers is a hyperbole. You always need workers. Lets not forget that someone has to build and maintenance those machines. Chinese manufacturing is facing a labour shortage because migrant workers are no longer going to the coastal cities because there are oppertunities closer to home. and the growing services sector is also absorbing a lot of the migrant workers these days. Automation in China at this point is to adress the issue of labour shortage.

I wonder where the technology comes from for these robots is it from China or is it imported from abroad ?

 

[Bussard Ramjet]

once manufacturing base is installed ,its hard to move. and now most world's biggest manufacturers are Chinese, they would tend to stay in China. so the timing is very important, if you missed the chance, it's hard to get it again.

Again, wrong. Yes it takes time, but things do move. They already are moving. And investors and businesses have no nationhood. They will go after profits. They already are. All the investment by Chinese overseas already has a big part of them shifting parts of manufacturing overseas. Even the government is encouraging this.

 

[beijingwalker]

You should hold your feet on earth. Your productivity is still about a seventh that of United States. Also, as I say the number of humans in the future would determine how much you are able to put into engineering and science.

We are talking about manufacturing and US now is number 2 after 110 years domination of the world. its hard for them to get back to their feet again. and we are never short of smart people, Chinese people are famous for their intelligence.

 

[Cheetah786]

Because China isn't relying on the cheap labor anymore.

Walmart can move out anytime if they want, but they still choose to stay because China's infrastructure and transportation is unmatched by other nations, so to produce in China still proves to be the most cost efficient.

China's technological power is booming, so we can afford to reduce our population in the future.

Are you telling me that Chinese infrastructure and supply chain is better then United States and Canada ? I ask you again, if one can produce the same goods in USA with robotics labour, manufactured by Chinese manufacturer in China, and sell it direct to Walmart at much lower price, plus shipping in hours compare to months or weeks from China. Where do u think they will buy from. Keep in mind we are talking about robotic labour.

 

[Bussard Ramjet]

Chinese manufacturing industry now dominates the world, and automation can help our factories to stay in China in stead of moving to cheaper labor countries. once the manufacturing base is installed, it's very hard to move.

It is hard, not impossible. Especially with connectivity. Also, as I say, I am somewhat of an expert in this field of automation in industries, and trust me, there are many industries that are just not automatable. Like large sections of textile.

We are talking about manufacturing and US now is number 22 after 110 years domination of the world. its hard for them to get back to their feet again. and we are never short of smart people, Chinese people are famous for their intelligence.

Once the westerners used to be famous as well. It is situation that makes individuals. Already there is the trend that the modern generations don't want to work as hard, and seek shortcuts.

Don't base your hope of your nation on racist arguments.

 

[beijingwalker]

Are you telling me that Chinese infrastructure and supply chain is better then United States and Canada ? I ask you again, if one can produce the same goods in USA with robotics labour, manufactured by Chinese manufacturer in China, and sell it direct to Walmart at much lower price, plus shipping in hours compare to months or weeks from China. Where do u think they will buy from. Keep in mind we are talking about robotic labour.

yes, China's infrastructure and supply chain is better then United States and Canada , and China has both the manufacturing base and the market.