Can the next president get Apple to bring manufacturing jobs back to the United States from China? The question was posed to U.S. President Barack Obama and Republican candidate Mitt Romney during Tuesday's presidential debate.
"The iPad, the Mac, the iPhone — they're all manufactured in China," said debate moderator Candy Crowley. "One of the major reasons is labor is so much cheaper there. How do you convince a great American company to bring that manufacturing back here?"
Romney was the first to answer, accusing China of currency manipulation, intellectual property violations and cyberattacks against the United States, while framing his response in the context of Chinese trade relations. He also brought up the fake Apple stores seen in cities throughout China.
"We can compete with anyone in the world as long as the playing field is level," Romney said. "China has been cheating over the years — number one by holding down the value of their currency, number two by stealing our intellectual property, our designs, our patents, our technology. There's even an Apple store in China that's a counterfeit Apple store, selling counterfeit goods. They hack into our computers. We will have to have people play on a fair basis."
Romney added that, "We have to make America the most attractive place for entrepreneurs."
Obama, meanwhile, admitted that low-end manufacturing jobs the United States has lost are likely gone for good. Instead, he argued, it's a better strategy to develop the country's high-skilled manufacturing sector.
"There are some jobs that are not going to come back because they're low-wage low-skill jobs," Obama said. "I want high-wage, high-skill jobs. That's why we have to emphasize manufacturing. That's why we have to invest in advanced manufacturing. That's why we've got to make sure we have the best science and research in the world."
Obama also stressed the need to invest in research and science in the quest to build "the next Apple."
"If we're adding to our deficits for tax cuts for folks who wouldn't need them, and we're cutting investments in research and science that will create the next Apple … we will lose that race," he said. "If we're not training engineers to make sure they're equipped in this country, then companies won't come here."
Should Apple bring manufacturing jobs back to the United States? Share your thoughts in the comments.
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- Election 2040: The First President for Digital Natives
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