Curt, it's hard telling.
The 1624-44 is the only item I know of that has been made in China. Just going by the postings I've seen on the Nova list, and other locations, it might be that they have had some (additional) QC/QA issues with that factory.
Please note I said additional. My New Zealand made DVR-XP had a suxy paint job, they have obviously not actually put the tool-rest in the banjo (despite it being checked off), as it didn't fit until I spent some time with a rat file on the banjo hole; and they had not cleaned all the casting flashing off the underside.
While the bed extension I bought a few weeks later was near perfect.