China's manufacturing heartland is confronting mounting economic challenges as the intensifying Middle East tensions undermines international supply systems and drives manufacturing expenses considerably higher. Workers in industrial hubs such as Foshan and Guangzhou, currently battling sluggish expansion and evolving consumer needs, now face mounting uncertainty as the US-Israeli military operations against Iran chokes essential trade corridors and jeopardises manufacturing contracts. Whilst Beijing's considerable fuel reserves and renewable energy investments have shielded the country from the greatest energy shortages, the closure of the Strait of Hormuz—one of the world's most vital maritime passages—is intensifying strain on an economy centred on international...