“In an increasingly common role reversal, companies such as the Chinese textile producer Keer Group are outsourcing production to places where the energy, raw materials, and labor are cheap and convenient -- places such as… South Carolina.” The Chairman of Keer Group says “We chose to locate our first US facility in South Carolina for a number of reasons, which include the state’s workforce, proximity to cotton producers and access to the port.” It’s worth noting that “Wages for workers in South Carolina are still higher than those in China, but are offset by subsidized cotton, tax breaks, and cheaper energy.” Manufacturing now accounts for one third of Chinese direct investment in the US, and the number of jobs from Chinese-controlled companies in the US is “rising fast.”