When I bought of pair of Nike sneakers last year in Zhengzhou, I looked at the label and it said, “Made in Vietnam.’’

More and more products that used to be made in China are now being manufactured in Vietnam, Cambodia, Myanmar and other Southeast Asian countries with much lower salaries.

Cheap labor was one of the key elements in China’s meteoric rise as an economic power. Now the country is becoming a victim of its own success.

Because of rising wages and the increasing value of Chinese currency, many manufacturers are leaving the country in search of cheaper production costs. The average worker in Cambodia and Vietnam makes half of what a Chinese worker does. In Myanmar, they earn about one-fifth as much as they do in China.

The shift is most apparent in labor-intensive products like clothing and athletic shoes. Nike, for instance, now makes most of its footwear in Vietnam. And a recent survey showed that major apparel firms plan to shift more operations to Bangladesh, Vietnam and India over the next five years.

China’s economy continues to grow, but at a slower pace than it did during the boom years. It will be interesting to see how the country adapts now that it’s no longer the top destination for low-cost manufacturing.

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When it comes to violent crime, China is a far safer place than the U.S. You can walk almost anywhere without worrying about getting mugged, shot or beaten.

But several incidents in the past month, including an attack by knife-wielding assailants at a Kunming train station that killed 29 people and wounded more than 140, have prompted armed patrols in major cities and transportation centers.

Chinese policeman rarely carry guns and, with a few exceptions, private citizens aren’t allowed to own firearms. However, the government agency in charge of public security recently said it will “carry out armed patrols and take timely measures to handle violent criminals.’’

Chinese authorities said Muslim militants were responsible for the Kunming stabbings, but nonpolitical killings have also contributed to the rising fear of violence. Two weeks ago, a dispute between two food vendors in Changsha triggered a stabbing spree in which five people were killed before the attacker was shot dead by police.

I’m sure gun fanatics will argue that if Chinese citizens could carry guns, these types of slaughters wouldn’t happen. I would just point out that China has far fewer mass murders than the U.S. despite having four times the population.