China weathered Trump's tariffs - but the Iran war is taking a toll

china's factories were already straining under trump's tariffs and a shift toward high-tech manufacturing. but the u.s.-israel war with iran is now squeezing orders and raising costs, hitting workers in industrial hubs like foshan and guangzhou. in foshan, temporary factory jobs pay 18 to 20 yuan an hour. in guangzhou's fabric market, one trader says costs have risen 20% due to higher oil prices, leaving rolls of fabric piling up unsold. the war is choking the strait of hormuz, a crucial shipping route. meanwhile, at the canton fair, china showcases its advanced exports. ev shipments jumped to 350,000 in march, a 140% increase from last year. but trader joyce liu says 90% of her evs once went to the middle east; now, cars sit at chinese ports as she seeks buyers elsewhere. beijing is pushing for a ceasefire, wanting to secure a summit with trump in may.