The West has transferred much of its manufacturing industry to Asia and is now beholden to it for the cheap goods that so many people want. It seems a little ironic that we will buy our £3 jeans from Asda (a British supermarket owned by Wal-Mart) and yet gasp in surprise when we find out that the process of making these things is less than savoury. What will we hear of next -- people not being paid a decent wage or given humane working hours for sewing them together? Shock horror.

There's a time bomb waiting to go off here. I have been saying for 10 years or more that China is going to be the next superpower. They've got us by the goolies and it's our own fault because we've handed them over on a plate. (Hm, conjures up a rather bizarre image . . . ) People who are carping about it are clearly not wanting to get used to the idea, but I don't think there's any going back now.

As for all the contamination in clothing, vitamins, food, etc. Again, we are the ones paying them to make this stuff. We'd better get over there and start supervising it then. Oh dear no, that costs money. Cheaper to turn a blind eye, pretend it doesn't happen, and let a few people complain when it's noticed by someone.