Significantly, more and more of these goods are coming from highly competitive Asian producers who have much lower cost structures than their American counterparts.

Lesotho stands to lose one quarter of its economy after an overnight change in textile trading rules benefiting Chinese and other Asian producers.

So prices for African rubber went up, and Asian producers sold more of their less expensive rubber.

The ruling angered European and Asian producers and could more than double the price of imported steel.

Prices have fallen from £700 per drive to under £300 in the past two years and could fall to perhaps £100, forced down by competition from Asian producers.

"China has put big demands on Asian producers, and the Japanese domestic market for air-conditioners has been growing."

In New York, Macy also maintains a sample room and cutting room to create fashion designs; these are sent to the Asian producers.

Despite the mantras of Western industry leaders, the cost advantage of the Asian producers is going to persist.

The situation resembles a dispute between Asian producers and the United States, which banned clove cigarettes.

Demand for the screens is so strong that Asian producers cannot fill 10 percent to 20 percent of orders, industry analysts and executives said.