U.S. President Donald Trump 's trade war has been exacerbating headwinds facing industrial centers in Guangdong, once a pillar of China's meteoric economic rise.

The southeastern province, home to the tech hub Shenzhen, the trade gateway Guangzhou, and some of China's busiest ports, has been particularly hard-hit, economists told the Financial Times .

Why It Matters

Long billed as the "world's factory," China is navigating structural growing pains as it shifts from low-cost, labor-intensive exports to higher-value, technology-driven production. This transition has coincided with a wave of manufacturers relocating to cheaper destinations such as Vietnam and India.

Compounding the challenge are a five-year property sector crisis, weak post-pandemic consumer confidence, and now tariff

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