Foshan furniture manufacturers fight to survive as growth stalls and exports fall
Updated
Updated · The Wall Street Journal · May 10
Foshan furniture manufacturers fight to survive as growth stalls and exports fall
10 articles · Updated · The Wall Street Journal · May 10
In southern China's Pearl River Delta, Foshan grew just 0.2% in 2025 while China's furniture and related exports fell 6.8% after new US tariffs and a property slump.
Exports to the US dropped 18%, some factories shifted production to Southeast Asia, and others pursued higher-end products, direct online sales and new buyers in Europe and the Middle East.
The downturn reflects pressure on China's low-end manufacturing as Beijing backs high-tech sectors, while conflict involving Iran adds uncertainty for a region that had become a growing market.
Is China’s high-tech pivot a planned demolition of its old factory towns or an uncontrolled crisis sparked by new tariffs?
As Foshan builds robots instead of bed frames, can it reinvent itself or will it become China's first Rust Belt city?