It was not just Bill Clinton and Ronald Reagan (who encouraged China to join WTO) who shipped American Manufacturing jobs to China.
Back in 1980’s 4 dozen Chinese engineers descended in to the owner’s office and offered him several million dollars to buy any engineering drawings they could have. And the engineering standards books detailing design of our machines.
The owner couldn’t stop laughing, thinking these stupid Chinese will pay him $15 million (inflation adjusted) just for a few scraps of paper?
The rest is history. China began manufacturing our machines in China, and never bought a single machine manufactured in our plant in Chicago.
That is but one of the methods how the shrewd Chinese stole American know-how.
I am sure you remember when Chicago’s manufacturing was great. All those great jobs gone. Very sad!