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Why does 'made in China' sound so cheap?

By Meng Jing (China Daily)
Updated: 2010-01-14 08:55

Right before I finished my study in the UK, my best friend asked me to bring her a designer purse on my return to China. The girl has great taste. Since I couldn't find the exact kind she was looking for in the UK, I ordered one from its headquarters in Italy.

When the shiny new purse arrived at her home, my friend was disappointed. Not because it was a knock-off Diesel, but because she couldn't believe she had spent 80 pounds on a purse that said "made in China". It was still a genuine Diesel brand, but somehow the small label inside the purse made her feel that it was not worth the money.

I understood her pain when I watched an ad on China's image recently. The ad said "made in China, made with the world", aiming to boost the reputation of Chinese-made goods.

The 30-second ad showed a series of goods made in China, from shoes and fridges to ipods and airplanes. They all have one thing in common: none are designed in China. The shoes are made in China with American sports technology. The fridges are made in China with European styling. Even the dresses are made in China with a French designer.

With or without the advertisement, the country has already established its status as the world's factory. Even the Hollywood movie 2012 says the big arks are something only the Chinese can build. It may reinforce the good quality of Chinese-made goods but it also highlights a truth that China is nothing but a manufacturer.

It's one thing to earn money by relying on a large population; it's another to forget we can do more than simply producing. I don't know how much China has gained from its cheap labor, but I do know we will lose more if we continue to do it.