Famed Foreign Firms Exit Dongguan; Sleeping in Concrete Tubes Becomes New Trend for Workers

After more than thirty years of China's reform and opening up, Dongguan, which has always been at the forefront of economic development, has recently seen a wave of business closures and foreign capital relocation. As it is widely known, Dongguan is a hub for contracted manufacturing companies. When foreign capital withdraws, thousands of Chinese workers lose their jobs. Among these people, some have worked in factories for decades and are now middle-aged. It’s overwhelming to be suddenly faced with unemployment and consequential cost-of-living pressures, coupled with labour competition against millions of university graduates. Those who are single simply adapt to homelessness, creating their own personal space amongst the concrete pipes. Gradually, many with similar experiences have come to call this area the "Homeless’ Base".