Archive · 9 Jan 2026

China's Manufacturing Advantage Driven by Labor Exploitation

China's Manufacturing Advantage Driven by Labor Exploitation

China has a big advantage in making things like cars because it treats its workers differently than other countries.

A report says this isn't just about being more efficient or having better technology, but about how China's rules allow workers to be paid less and work more hours.

For example, Tesla's factory in Shanghai makes almost twice as many cars per worker as its factory in the US.

The Shanghai factory is very important for Tesla, making almost half of all its electric cars.

It recently made its 4 millionth car and even sends cars to other countries.

China's way of treating workers helps it make things cheaper and faster, but it's not necessarily fair to the workers.

Sources