Its role in the global economy is confined to low-to-medium-end processing and assembly functions. The most critical, sophisticated, and profitable parts of the value chain – research and development, product design, branding, marketing, service, and distribution – are occupied by American, European, Japanese, South Korean, and Taiwanese companies.
迄今为止，中国尚未为此付出惨重的代价。它在全球经济中发挥的作用仅限于中低端加工和组装。美国、欧洲、日本、韩国和台湾企业仍然占据着价值链最关键、最复杂、也最有利可图的部分，包括研发、产品设计、品牌、营销、服务和销售。中国只是把这些高附加值产业外包给像苹果和沃尔玛这样的巨头。