The Financial Times is seeking a South China Correspondent to cover one of the main hubs in the global supply chain: the sprawling cities and industries of the Pearl River Delta. With a population of 60m, the region accounts for around a quarter of China’s exports, many of its most innovative businesses, and significant market shares in some of the world’s most important consumer goods. The delta, which includes Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Hong Kong and a number of smaller cities, offers a window on the global economy.
As currently configured, the job is to work up and down that supply chain. China’s export manufacturers have experienced dramatic swings in demand over the last few years, from boom times during Covid, to a period of destocking and then sluggish recovery. The manufacturing sector in turn drives China’s commodity imports, an essential topic for miners and shippers across the globe, as well as demand for capital machinery from Germany and Japan. Increasingly, the region is moving up the value chain with the growth of innovative, high-end manufacturers such as drone-maker DJI and carmaker BYD.
The South China Correspondent also has responsibility for aspects of Hong Kong, where political freedom continues to narrow but business is as vibrant as ever. In Macau, the casino industry took a big hit from Covid and Beijing’s agenda of ‘common prosperity’, but is still a huge gambling hub. The correspondent is also an integral part of the FT’s broader China team, working closely with colleagues in Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong and around the world to help us cover the world’s biggest story.
News is the heart of the job, and we will expect the correspondent to break stories with their reporting and interviews, but we also want and expect the correspondent to write across a range of formats, from sharp analysis to magazine features, with an eye for the big picture. You may also be asked to represent the FT at events and in the media. Subject to discussion with the successful candidate, the job may be based in either Hong Kong or Shenzhen.
To apply, go here.
