On the other hand China does export a lot to Europe, especially in Eastern Countries; since they are cheaper. I don't have any stats, but I see "made in China" stuff everywhere.
I can see how that's very likely, my experience is limited to Western Europe at the moment:) We still see quite a lot of goods in cheaper stores that come from China, but nothing like the market domination I see back in North America. Over here in NL for example, I see way more stuff coming from France, Germany, Italy, etc, than just China. I think consumers in some parts of Europe prefer goods that are better quality, even if they are a bit more expensive. From a longer term cost-benefit stand point, it usually works out cheaper anyway.
When speaking about finished products, I also saw lots of stuff made in UE in Eastern Europe.
But for example China exports a lot of textiles. Many clothes are still made in Europe, but a large percent of textiles come from China.
That said, I'm glad that Germany can be the powerhouse that it is by focusing on quality rather than cheap-labor. It shows that it is possible. Good for them.
It's good to know that quality still sells, and prices aren't everything.
Maybe because of Europe's location, I see textiles sourced from places like Turkey and even Latin America, rather than purely from China/Asia in general. What kind of things do you see coming out of the UE?