Why automation is a huge part of China’s goal to remake its manufacturing industry

Automation is coming. And although it's inevitably going to take jobs away, it's also going to create millions of new jobs, make production more efficient and kickstart entire new industries. The countries that invest in automation early, and in the retraining that will help workers transition to new types of jobs, could really jump ahead economically. That's partly why automation is a huge part of the Chinese government's Made in China 2025 initiative. That’s the country's plan to reduce its reliance on outside technology and create a tech economy that rivals the West. Automation is an especially big deal in China because there's so much manufacturing there. It's sometimes referred to as “the world's factory.” Marketplace’s China correspondent Jennifer Pak joins host Molly Wood to talk about how big a deal the transition to automation might be for China. (10/04/18)