China vs Taiwan?

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Alright yeti I have another one for you
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I've always heard that Taiwan makes things a bit better than china is this true? I noticed my Honda gx390 engine says made in Taiwan.
 
I don't think it matters today, I think it's how well the company controls the quality. I order a lot of stuff off Ali-Express and it comes from all over that area and I have had good and bad from everywhere. Plus most of the worlds products are manufactured there with a wide range of quality from precision to terrible.
 
Taiwan is more like South Korea in this regard. Both excel in high end manufacturing. It's arguably the main economic force there. Mainland China does some as well but they tend to focus on more cheaper mass producible goods assembled by hand.

Taiwan is more automated which improves quality for the most part as the products have more consistent in build quality. Essentially Taiwan chooses quality while China goes for quantity.
 
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Originally Posted By: Chris142
Taiwan makes execellent tools.


How old are you ? About 18 ? Taiwan used to make the cheapest junk in the world back during the 1980's.
 
Taiwan makes some excellent tools, knives, and intricate instruments used in surgery for example. It has come a long ways since we used to see "Made in Formosa" and passed it off as junk.
 
Originally Posted By: Merkava_4
Originally Posted By: Chris142
Taiwan makes execellent tools.


How old are you ? About 18 ? Taiwan used to make the cheapest junk in the world back during the 1980's.


Back in the 1980's ? you mean 30 years ago ? Nothing can change in 30 years.
 
Originally Posted By: rubberchicken
Back in the 1980's ? you mean 30 years ago ? Nothing can change in 30 years.


That wasn't 30 years ago was it ?
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Originally Posted By: Merkava_4
Originally Posted By: rubberchicken
Back in the 1980's ? you mean 30 years ago ? Nothing can change in 30 years.


That wasn't 30 years ago was it ?
frown.gif



Yeah, it was.

And he's right. But the argument is off-base.

In the 70 years since the end of the Chinese civil war, Taiwan has become a modern, integrated part of the Asian posperity sphere WWII created - Japan, S. Korea, Taiwan, and the inner rim of protected Tiger countries that could skate on the fact those other countries and the US were providing containment of the totalitarian bugbear.

If you are old and fusty, Taiwan may seem a quaint thing. But it's still a real place for the front lines of the still running ideological wars. And real they are.
 
India is the new one to be Leary of.
I haven't had much trouble with Chinese parts but anything I get from India seems to look like the part but it doesn't match up when you go to put it on.
Maybe they will improve like China did.
 
Originally Posted By: Merkava_4
Originally Posted By: Chris142
Taiwan makes execellent tools.


How old are you ? About 18 ? Taiwan used to make the cheapest junk in the world back during the 1980's.

Same true of japan 50 years ago..what's your point?
 
Originally Posted By: Merkava_4
Originally Posted By: Chris142
Taiwan makes execellent tools.


How old are you ? About 18 ? Taiwan used to make the cheapest junk in the world back during the 1980's.
48. And their tools are very good these days. Especially impact sockets.
 
I would opine that Taiwan is akin to Japanese price/quality of the 1980's. And Taiwan is not a Communist country that uses slave labor and supports North Korea. From a purely quality standpoint, Chinese manufacturers are hit or miss, IMHO.
 
Some anecdotes on the topic. Years ago bought Harbor Freight exhaust cut off tool made in Taiwan, used to cut open oil filters. Still have it today, works well and a quality tool that came in plastic case. Later HF moved production to China and bitogers using it reported those fell apart/broke, some on first use. HF later discontinued the product.

On promo board with Bitog recommendation bought Triangle 19 pc. Uni-Grip Metric Socket Set, 1/4 in. Drive , made in Taiwan. It's a great quality product IMO, glad I bought it. Same set OOS linked HERE.

HF torque wrenches I own, made in Taiwan.

That said, 'perhaps' parent company name may be as or more important when it comes to product quality as the coo between the two.
 
Originally Posted By: StevieC
I don't think it matters today, I think it's how well the company controls the quality. I order a lot of stuff off Ali-Express and it comes from all over that area and I have had good and bad from everywhere. Plus most of the worlds products are manufactured there with a wide range of quality from precision to terrible.


+1

If the world is made in China ( and it is ) you can bet that there are varying degrees of quality along with manufacturing and managerial oversight.

In automotive terms, I don't think much of Nankang tires (Taiwan) but I own a set of Hankooks that were PRC-made and probably the best wearing, problem-free tires I've had in the last 30 years. Is that Hankook, Chinese management, or supplied production equipment and processes making them that way?? My old, top-of-the-line Pearl drum kit is made in Taiwan and it's as good or better than the Japanese production while many similar products out of Taiwan tend to be budget versions.

Personally, I wouldn't use Harbor Freight products as a petrie dish for how good "Chinese manufacturing" is if the equivalent Chinese-made product that's better made and costs more is sold nationally in other chains. HF products are usually ( not always ) made to a price point and are much of the time not a reflection of bang for the buck quality vs. cheapened functionality. Having said that, I've bought some great things at HF that lasted just fine.
 
The Chinese make stuff the way they are told to make it. Do not underestimate their brilliance.I worked around off the boat Chinese and they are pretty "cool" Brilliant as well.
 
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