Mexico: The Alternative to China

By Daniel Nardini

Lawndale News Chicago's Bilingual Newspaper - CommentaryAs American corporations are trying to get away from their dependency on China, a growing number are re-shoring back to the United States. Why is not hard to figure out; the highly skilled and productive American workforce in so many ways makes up for the wages that corporations must pay their American workers. Transportation costs would be another factor. They would be lower than if the products were shipped from China to the United States. One the other hand, unionized American workers would be equally winners because they would be able to earn a decent living due to increasing re-shoring of jobs to the United States.

Just as equally workable would be American and Mexican corporations employing Mexican workers in Mexico. Even when so many American corporations had outsourced to China, there were still many that kept jobs in both the United States and Mexico. Now that China is not looking as attractive to American business as it once did, Mexico is a much better alternative. Mexico is right next door to the United States, the shipping costs would be much lower, Mexican products are overall good, and like in the United States Mexican unions are making some headway in the Mexican labor force. When I used to visit Guadalajara, I was always impressed by the number of products made in Mexico. Just about everything in my hotel room was made in Mexico; from the drinking glasses to the soap to the TV set to the colonial-style furniture. It was all impressive.

Consumer goods made in Mexico are making their way into the American market at an ever greater pace. Personally, I am happy this is so because it means that Mexico is becoming an ever more indispensable country to the United States. In a time period when things and relationships are changing, it is good that the United States and the American people still have Mexico and the Mexican people. Also, the number of Americans of Mexican descent have greatly contributed to the fabric of America and all that we as a people are. Whatever may happen in the not-too-distant future, let us as a people never take for granted the special relationship between the United States and American people on the one hand and Mexico and the Mexican people on the other.

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