China is set to overtake the U.S. as the leading manufacturing nation by 2009, or perhaps not until 2016-2017, depending upon the measurements used. This projection by the U.S.-based global business consulting firm Global Insight would mark the first time in more than 100 years that the U.S. has relinquished the top spot in world manufacturing production. Global Insight calculates that as of 2008, the U.S. accounts for 16.9% of global value-added factory output, with China catching up at 15%.

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