IMO, "value" is an entirely subjective term. Personally, I consider the several different Chinese firearms that I've owned now and in the past to have been very good values relative to what I paid for them and to the cost of directly comparable items manufactured elsewhere.
EG: I have a Norinco ATD-22, a copy of the little Browning take-down semiauto that Interarms imported back in the day. I bought it for $35 with less than 200 rds through it because the fellow had managed to break one of the fingers off of the extractor and blamed it on the rifle being Chinese "junk". Actually, he apparently hadn't cleaned the packing grease out of the action before using it the first time. This combined with using poor quality bulk ammo had packed so much crud under the extractor that it could no longer move as it should, which resulted in the part beating itself to death in very short order. I'd have used a Norinco part, if Interarms hadn't gone away by then, without a qualm. A Miroku replacement from Brownell's cost about $12 and dropped right in. Now properly maintained, it's gone through literally thousands of rounds without a bobble and still puts 10 rds into a bit over an inch at fifty yds from a bench with the rudimentary open irons with its favorite ammo, when I'm up to the task.
A used Miroku-made Browning in similar condition would've cost about $275-$300 in these parts and would most likely have also trashed the extractor given the same abuse.
I've owned six Chinese SKSes over the years. I still have two: My 'trophy' M21 and a Norinco-made commercial model I bought in 1988 NIB with accessories and 200 rds of ball ammo for about $120, with taxes. None of them broke and none of them - commercial or surplus - were less than completely reliable functionally. I currently own a representitive of the more common makes, a Rommie, an Albie, a Yugo, A Russian Tula '54, the Norinco and the M21. IMO, it's most likely that the main reason is that it was brand-new and manufactured for the commercial export market but the Norinco will consistently group into less than half the area of any of the others.
Then there's the Norinco JW-15 BA .22 Rf that cost about $90. More or less a knock-off of an earlier version of the highly respected CZ-452 design, it'll put 5 rds of Aquila SV .22 LRs or Ely Silhouette into 5/8" or a bit less at 50 yds with a 7X scope and a solid rest.
Finally, there's the .177 'side cocker' air rifle (make and model long forgotten) purchased at a show for about $25. Wood and steel rather than plastic and zinc alloy, throws a 'heavy' 9.2 gr. lead pellet at an average of 810 f/s over a CED chronograph, and puts 10 "Match"-grade pellets into one ragged 3/16" hole at 10M (33'). Try finding a Crossman, Benjamin, Sheriden or Daisy of comparable materials capable of those numbers for even 4X that price. My RWS M48 will match it with a .22 pellet, but it also cost more than 10X the price.
Cosmeticly or aestheticly some of these might fall short of the 'originals', but in terms of function they seem to come off quite well. The wood isn't walnut, the polish not as fine, and the finish machining not of as high an order, but so? What exactly do you expect for a fraction of the price? They're every bit as servicable a tool, much more affordable, and at least as practical for the same uses.
The fact that their value, especially when related to the original cost, on the used market has held up so well after they ceased to be imported ought to be enough to tell you something positive. It's not just scarcity that's done it; it's also because they're still perceived by many folks to offer a level of utility and "value" for the buck at least commensurate with the cost.