Dean I think there's a few layers to your thoughts.
Firstly, Chinese quality.
There are plenty of items that the Chinese make that are quality, world leading.
Top of my head...
Mobile Phones - One Plus
High Speed Trains - they are the world leaders
At an industrial level, plastics and oil products.
Further numerous parts, that then go into the making other products - Apple products being a good example.
There's quality out there. It's just maybe we won't be obviously exposed.
Secondly, consumer Chinese tat
They are the manufacturing centre of the world. They are used for creating everything. That means quality and tat.
Electric batteries in a Tesla - Expensive & Quality
Fidget Spinners - Cheap tat.
Point being it is what importers choose to buy and bring in.
Tesla could most likely get a Chinese company to produce a battery at the same quality level as the battery you bought for your Dyson. Or, they could build a world-leading battery. It's up to the company placing the order.
The Chinese could build you a titanium indestructible fidget spinner, if you ordered it and paid for it.
China have the people and manufacturing capabilities to produce quality or tat.
Further, it is up to the importers to ensure quality.
The cheap batteries, the cheap tat, the importers want to buy as much as possible, they think quantity not quality. Chinese factories are cheaper and willing to produce what the client orders.
Thirdly, what the UK public want
If I'm selling an expensive quality Chinese made Dyson replacement battery, but UK consumers are buying the cheap tat. As a seller, I'll start selling the tat as well.
The success of Primark in the UK is evidence of a love of low quality.
Fourth, capitalist culture
The greed if some sellers means they will want to sell you the lowest priced item, for the highest price. The quality might fall at the wayside.
Fifth, blaming all of that on China is unfair
I don't think I need say more in this point.
The UK want cheap tat. Importers order and sell cheap tat. The Chinese factories produce that, based on the demand for that cheap tat. If the UK demanded high quality, the Chinese would produce that - like they do for other items.
The Brits have made some great cars and some absolutely awful. That could be said for many products. Some architecture is a disaster, entire buildings barely 30 years old being knocked down is evidence of this. Buying British is no guarantee of quality, so your plans may not yield the result you are after.
Lastly, xenophobia
That was mentioned in reference to the thread in general.
Not every Chinese person is the same. I can't believe I need to type that out.
Not every British person is the same. Some I'd be happy to be compared to, others not so much. I go travelling a lot, I don't behave like a "Brit abroad".
In my view, I'd always buy what seems like the best, no matter where it comes from.
Unfortunately, that usually means not buying British.
