>>>A bit simplistic for my taste. Environmental standards and bureocratic hurdles add more cost in "developed" countries.
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>China has clamped down hard on environmental issues, imposing clean standards that put a lot of polluting factories out of business. They had to- associates who visited industrial zones in China in the last 20 years were left aghast at what they saw being done to the environment. Stuff that used to be easy to produce cheaply if environment was no concern- e.g. cast ironworks, steel, chemical products- are going to be a lot more expensive now.

True, but according to the 2 guys I know having worked there for some time, there is still a lot of difference. Also the Chinese are actively going after IP, your sometimes offered assurance that western manufacturing might be shifted back with ease is not so certain seen from here.