Companies prodded to rely less on China, but few respond

In this Wednesday, May 13, 2020, photo, a worker at SMC China, a Japanese joint venture pneumatic engineering company, assembles products at a factory in Beijing. The United States, Japan and France are prodding their companies to rely less on China to make the world’s smartphones, drugs and other products. But even after the coronavirus derailed global trade, few are willing to give up access to its skilled workers, vast market and efficient suppliers by moving factories closer to home. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)

In this April 12, 2020, photo, workers inspect masks at a mask factory production line of the Wuhan Zonsen Medical Products Co. Ltd. in Wuhan in central China Hubei province. The United States, Japan and France are prodding their companies to rely less on China to make the world’s smartphones, drugs and other products. But even after the coronavirus derailed global trade, few are willing to give up access to its skilled workers, vast market and efficient suppliers by moving factories closer to home.(AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)

In this April 8, 2020, photo, employees work on a car assembly line at the Dongfeng Honda Automobile Co., Ltd factory in Wuhan in central China's Hubei province. The United States, Japan and France are prodding their companies to rely less on China to make the world’s smartphones, drugs and other products. But even after the coronavirus derailed global trade, few are willing to give up access to its skilled workers, vast market and efficient suppliers by moving factories closer to home.(AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)

In this April 8, 2020, photo, employees work on a car assembly line at the Dongfeng Honda Automobile Co., Ltd factory in Wuhan in central China's Hubei province. The United States, Japan and France are prodding their companies to rely less on China to make the world’s smartphones, drugs and other products. But even after the coronavirus derailed global trade, few are willing to give up access to its skilled workers, vast market and efficient suppliers by moving factories closer to home. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)

In this Wednesday, May 13, 2020 photo, a worker at SMC China, a Japanese joint venture pneumatic engineering company, assembles products at a factory in Beijing. The United States, Japan and France are prodding their companies to rely less on China to make the world’s smartphones, drugs and other products. But even after the coronavirus derailed global trade, few are willing to give up access to its skilled workers, vast market and efficient suppliers by moving factories closer to home.(AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)

In this May 27, 2020, photo released by Xinhua News Agency, a worker makes plastic toys at a factory in Zhangjiajie, central China's Hunan Province. The United States, Japan and France are prodding their companies to rely less on China to make the world’s smartphones, drugs and other products. But even after the coronavirus derailed global trade, few are willing to give up access to its skilled workers, vast market and efficient suppliers by moving factories closer to home. (Xue Yuge/Xinhua via AP)

In this April 8, 2020, photo, employees work on a car assembly line at the Dongfeng Honda Automobile Co., Ltd factory in Wuhan in central China's Hubei province. The United States, Japan and France are prodding their companies to rely less on China to make the world’s smartphones, drugs and other products. But even after the coronavirus derailed global trade, few are willing to give up access to its skilled workers, vast market and efficient suppliers by moving factories closer to home. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)