At the same time, on the plus side, dividends from overseas earnings were steadily growing, such that in 2005 these earnings have exceeded the net trade surplus.
The United States currently is the global leader in medical device innovation, and it is one of the few major industries that both boasts a net trade surplus and is a job-creator.
Chinese middle classes are not going to spend as much per capita as their North American counterparts, due to their higher savings rates, lack of social safety net and surplus of males relative to females.