Vance links US factory revival to China challenge

Washington: US Vice President JD Vance said the Trump administration was rebuilding American manufacturing after decades of industrial decline, arguing that Washington had finally begun prioritising domestic workers and reducing dependence on overseas production hubs such as China.

In a major policy speech in Kansas City, Missouri, Vance said the administration’s economic agenda as a direct response to years of factory closures and job losses in industrial communities across the United States.

“For my entire life, the story of my hometown, the story of great manufacturers like this one, is that they were shedding jobs instead of creating jobs,” Vance said. “What Donald Trump has done in just 18 months… is that we have made it great to build in the United States of America once again.”

The Vice President repeatedly linked economic decline in working-class American towns to political decisions that allowed industries to move overseas.

“Why is it that we have leaders who allow our jobs to get shipped to Mexico and China?” he said. “You had people in Washington who weren’t fighting for you.”

Vance said the administration’s manufacturing push was producing results, pointing to recent employment growth figures and investment in domestic production.

“We decided to put American businesses and most importantly, American workers first for a change,” he said. “We decided to fight for you instead of fight against you.”

He claimed the United States had seen its “biggest growth in manufacturing employment” since President Donald Trump’s first term and said the administration was focused on rebuilding industrial capacity and supporting factory workers.

The speech also highlighted the administration’s broader “America First” economic strategy, including tax cuts, anti-fraud efforts and support for domestic manufacturing.

“We’re investing in the United States of America once again, and we’re investing in American workers,” Vance said.

Throughout the address, Vance contrasted the Trump administration’s economic policies with previous governments, arguing that earlier leadership had failed industrial communities.

“I remember driving through my hometown and thinking to myself, why is it that we struggle while other people seem to thrive?” he said. “The reason why those people were not fighting for you, the reason why they were sending jobs overseas, the reason why China and Mexico were building while the United States was shrinking — it was a simple, simple question of political leadership.”

Vance also praised American factory workers who continued working during the Covid-19 pandemic, saying many manufacturing employees had continued operations while others worked remotely.

“There were a lot of people who had to come to work and build the things Americans need,” he said. “You guys came to work, and we’re proud of you for it and we’re grateful.”

The Trump administration has increasingly centred its economic agenda on reshoring manufacturing, reducing dependence on Chinese supply chains and boosting domestic industrial production. The White House has also expanded tariffs and incentives aimed at encouraging companies to manufacture within the United States.

The issue carries significance for India as global companies continue pursuing “China+1” supply-chain strategies to diversify production away from China. India has been positioning itself as a major alternative manufacturing destination in sectors including electronics, semiconductors, defence production and pharmaceuticals.

IANS