During the first six months of this year, China surpassed the United S

During the first six months of this year, China surpassed the United States as the world's largest exporter. This statistics, along with the increasingly high-tech orientation of Chines exports, poses a serious challenge from Chinese companies to the United States' long-standing leadership in export competitiveness and technological innovation.
All of the following cast serious doubts on the claim made above except, EXCEPT:

A) 90% of China's exports in the manufacturing sector, which forms the bulk of its exports, are produced mostly by assembling imported components.
B) 60% of China's exports come from firms that are either entirely or partially controlled by a foreign entity.
C) The global competitiveness of China's exports, when compared to those of its international counterparts, is due to their low prices rather than their superior technology.
D) The Chinese domestic market for all goods, from textiles, clothing, footwear to electronics, is dominated by products from other countries.
E) The EU may place a ban on importing Chinese-made goods following the recall of many Chinese-made goods by their manufacturers after they were found to be unsafe.

Here we need to find the statement which does not weaken the argument
a) as china imports majority of the goods it exports thus it weakens the claim of chinese companies posing a challenge to companies in united states
b) as 60% of the companies in china are from other countries(which also includes united states), thus this also weaken the argument
c) Here an alternate reason is given why chinese are competitive, its not because of the technology but due to lower cost-Again weakens
e) EU banning chinese goods- a good news for US companies- Weakens

"D" Remains and thus the answer as it talks about the domestic market of china which has nothing to do with the export that chinese companies make

Hope this helps

Press Kudos if it is useful

I feel C is better because low prices is a sign of "competitiveness". This is strengthening the argument. How can this be a weakener?

Option D because points to domestic market which neither affects the argument related to Chinese exports - and - their export competitiveness and technological innovation.

Hello expert, please suggest,
I selected option C, but later i realized that it would be wrong because in passage, it is being mentioned "along with the increasingly high-tech orientation of Chines exports" as a fact.

and option 'c' is going against it, hence, it cant be our answr.
AM I RIGHT ?

yes your understanding is right. C weakens the conclusion and since this is an except qustion it cant be the right answer choice!

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