The reason to deal with China is getting some jobs back. You forced them to take manufacturing and now that they have it they like it. Of cource if you didnt have to sell your soul to buy a house around here, there could be some arm wrestling on that but as long as the Chinese are housed for peanuts, they can work for peanuts, while you need a lot more all the time.
Other jobs however are available. China isnt paying the same percentage out in wages and there is a lot of surplus wealth pooling up in the government that is earmarked for the environment and hopefully coinciding with infrastructure development but to get those contracts you have to be able to communicate with people who wont budge from the idea that it is a positive thing to clear the entire highway system of snow by hand when necessary. The situation of China kicking our economic butts while digging coal with pick and shovel is a situation they dont want to change, except for the dirtyness of coal on the environment. It is ok to be labor intensive I guess is the point I am trying to make and this may be a hard idea to get ones mind around in the west. think of it as "what else are people doing anyway?" but also asias are a busy sort of people, we get fidgety if our hands are still, and can get into some very strange trouble the explanation of which will make you very uncomfortable to hear about.
China is more forgiving than Japan and is more likely to let you interact as a visitor and return home unmarked. You dont want to be part of China forever do you?
If you got as involved with Japan, which we probably wouldnt ever allow, you'd never go home the same, but if you give us some time to set some limits and teach you some signs that mean to you "oh I just dont need to know whats in there" you can work with Japan a lot too. For now though, try doing better in China, and if you get antsy about Japan, visit Germany and hang out a while till its stops makeing you feel weird. That could speed the process a little bit.
