The Illusion of Replacing China: The $30 Toilet Dilemma

Americans used to buy a toilet from China for $200. Now, they buy one from Vietnam for $230. They’re thrilled—even though it costs $30 more—because they’re no longer buying from China. In a few years, they believe, Vietnam will replace China as America’s supply chain.

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In recent years, Americans have done something that *seems* smart: They no longer want to buy toilets from China!

A Chinese toilet used to cost just $200. Now, they’re buying from Vietnam for $230—slightly more expensive, but Americans are overjoyed, thinking that extra $30 is money well spent.

They slam the table and declare, “It’s a bit pricier, but we’ve cut ties with China! Now *we* hold the power!” Some U.S. media outlets have even started predicting, “Vietnam is the next China!”

American businesspeople paint a vivid picture of the future: Give Vietnam a few more years, and this small country will grow into the new core of the supply chain, completely replacing China!

But do you really think the toilets bought from Vietnam are *made* in Vietnam? Wake up!

What’s called “Made in Vietnam” is mostly “Assembled in Vietnam.” The ceramic body, flush valve, smart chip, sealing ring, screws—over 70% of these critical components still come from China.

The owner of a well-known bathroom fixture factory in Hanoi admits, “We only handle the final step: assembly.”

It’s like decorating a cake with sprinkles and calling it your own—pure self-deception. Americans pay an extra $30, only to end up with a rebranded Chinese product.

Now, let’s examine Vietnam’s actual “manufacturing prowess.”

**First, infrastructure is lacking.** Forget highways and high-speed rail—many parts of Vietnam don’t even have stable electricity. A rainy day means blackouts and internet outages. Factory equipment clatters away, while workers shrug: “It’s not that we’re not working hard—the power just went out unexpectedly.”

**Second, logistics are a nightmare.** Loading a container at a Vietnamese port can take half a day. Throw in traffic jams and bad weather, and whether your shipment makes it out depends entirely on luck.

Compared to China’s efficiency—where goods reach ports in minutes and sail overnight—Vietnam’s pace is, charitably, “slow and steady.” Less charitably? It’s just plain sluggish.

**Third, worker skills aren’t there yet.** Many Vietnamese workers come from “crash courses”—today they’re assembling toilets, tomorrow they’re tiling, and the next day they’re processing shoe soles.

Are they professional? They can assemble, sure. But when it comes to quality consistency, proficiency, and efficiency? They’re no match for China.

So don’t be fooled by how similar the toilets look. One lasts years without leaking; the other starts gushing after two months. That’s the difference.

Americans assumed, “Vietnamese labor is cheap, so manufacturing costs must be low.” But reality has slapped them in the face.

Yes, Vietnamese labor is cheaper—but efficiency is abysmal. A factory in China can produce 200 toilets a day; in Vietnam, it’s 90. The efficiency gap nearly doubles costs.

Then there’s the issue of raw materials. Vietnam lacks them—everything must be imported.

Ceramic clay from China, hardware from China, even the packaging cartons are made in Chinese factories. When an entire supply chain relies on others for every little part, the final product inevitably ends up overpriced.

Add unreliable shipping and tariff barriers, and Americans hoping to save money realize—they’ve been played for fools!

Americans dream of finding a country to “replace China,” as if swapping a name and production location solves everything. But they forget: China didn’t win by being “cheap”—it won with a complete, efficient, and flexible supply chain.

China has powerful industrial clusters. A toilet goes from design to shipment in days, with dozens of upstream and downstream businesses working seamlessly.

Vietnam? Forget toilets—even a flush button has to be shipped from Guangdong. One missing part, and the whole factory shuts down.

Another underrated factor? Chinese workers’ execution.

In China, a night shift can double output in three days. In Vietnam, if you ask workers to “work overtime,” they’ll smile and say, “Let me grab some noodles first, then I’ll think about it.”

Now, Americans chant “decouple from China” while shelling out an extra $30 for Vietnamese toilets. Then, after using them, they realize: “Huh? This tastes just like the old Chinese ones!” A glance at the parts confirms: “Oh, still made in China!”

Isn’t this just wasting money and lying to themselves?

At the end of the day, China isn’t just a “replaceable factory”—it’s the ballast of global manufacturing. Want to move it? Go ahead and try. But don’t be surprised when the ship capsizes.