Production locations in Guangdong: Which kind of products are being made where?

Understanding production centers in the economical strongest area of China
September 29, 2023 by
Production locations in Guangdong: Which kind of products are being made where?
Clemens Rudolph

The Guangdong province of China is among the most industrially developed regions in China. This coastal province is located in South China and has a population of over 126 million spread across an area of 69,400 square miles. It is the most populous and wealthiest province in the People’s Republic of China. Guangdong is the leading manufacturing and trading hub of the country and accounts for about 11% of the economic output of China. Guangzhou is the capital of the province and the largest city in the province.

Guangdong consists of Shenzhen and Guangzhou, two of the top four Chinese cities and two leading prefecture-level cities in the country by GDP. These two are also the most populous megacities in the world. Guangdong province is divided into 21 prefectures, 121 counties, and over 1,600 rural and urban townships.

The cities of Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Foshan, Zhongshan, Dongguan, Jiangmen, Zhaoqing, Huizhou, and Zhuhai are part of the Pearl River Delta Economic zone, a major hub for foreign trading, technology, and manufacturing.

Guangdong Manufacturing Hubs

Production locations in Guangdong

The key production locations in Guangdong are:

  • Guangzhou
  • Shenzhen
  • Dongguan
  • Foshan
  • Zhongshan
  • Chaozhou
  • Zhuhai
  • Zhanjiang
  • Shaoguan
  • Yunfu
  • Jiangmen
  • Huizhou

If you are planning to source materials from this leading manufacturing hub in China, you need to know what type of products are being made in the province of Guangdong.

1.     Guangzhou

Guangzhou is the capital city of Guangdong province and China’s third largest city. It is an industrial city specializing in hotel operating supplies and equipment manufacturing and supplying. This will include electronics, kitchen equipment, cleaning supplies, decorative accessories, chinaware, guestroom amenities, crockery and glassware, restaurant equipment, housekeeping, flatware, towels, bed linens, etc. Guangzhou is also famous for its Canton Fair or China Import and Export Fair which has been held every year in spring and autumn since 1957.

2.     Shenzhen

The city of Shenzhen is located near Hong Kong and is specialized in electronics and state-of-the-art technology. It is one of the most prosperous cities in the world and is also known as the electronics capital of China. Businesses across the world source quality electronic products at the cheapest prices from Shenzhen. The region specializes in electronic materials like drones, mobile phones, ACs, TVs, home appliances, LEDs, cameras, etc.

3.     Zhongshan

This industrially diverse city located in the south of the Pearl River Delta Economic zone is another LED and lighting products manufacturing hub. Guzhen, a small area within the city of Zhongshan is known as the lighting capital of China. There are several lamp factories and showrooms that offer a wide range of lighting products. Dongfeng is known for the manufacturing of household electrical appliances and Xiaolan specializes in the manufacturing of electronic acoustics and hardware products.

4.     Chaozhou

Chaozhou is the easternmost region of the Guangdong province and is located north of Shantou city and the Han River delta that flows through the city. The region is mainly popular for the manufacturing of sanitaryware products and ceramic products. Several sanitaryware manufacturers in Chaozhou offer the latest sanitary products with modern designs at very affordable prices.

5.     Foshan

Foshan is the third largest industrial region in Guangdong, after Guangzhou and Shenzhen. Foshan is the leading furniture producing area in China and has several furniture and machinery manufacturing factories located throughout the region. Shunde, the world’s biggest wholesale furniture market is located in Foshan. It is also the largest furniture distribution center in the world. Some notable places for sourcing furniture from Foshan are Tuanyi International Furniture City, Sun-link Furniture Wholesale Market, Lecong International Exhibition Center, and Louvre Furniture Mall.

6.     Dongguan

Dongguan is another very important industrial city in the Pearl River Delta region. The city houses the biggest cluster of electronic and electrical equipment manufacturers. The city is also the leading producer of toys and plastic moldings. For plastic moldings and other products, you can visit Zhangmutou, Huangjiang, Changping, and Chang’an towns located in Dongguan.

7.     Yunfu

Yunfu is a prefecture-level city located in western Guangdong. It is well-known for its mineral resources and has over 250 certified mines spread across the city. Yunfu is popular for manufacturing and exporting quartz, granite, marble, and pyrite products.

8.     Zhuhai

Zhuhai or Chuhai is a prefecture-level city located on the southeastern edge of the Pearl River delta and central coast of southern Guangdong. Industries in Zhuhai are focused mainly on precision machinery, biotechnology, pharmacy, and petrochemical industries.

9.     Zhanjiang

This port city has a diversified industrial base that includes a shipyard, automobile industries, sugar refineries, high-quality paper-making industries, and small household electrical appliance manufacturing companies.

10.  Shaoguan

Shaoguan is the northernmost city of the Guangdong province. The city is the leading manufacturer of iron and steel in Guangdong Province, China. The city also houses Guangdong Shaoguan Iron and Steel, a Chinese steel-making industry.

11.  Jiangmen

Jiangmen is the second largest port city in Guangdong. The manufacturing sector plays a significant role in the economy of the city. Major industries in the city include sanitary ware, bathroom accessories, packaging material, shipbuilding, machinery, electronics, and household appliances. Some leading brands that have factories in the city include Hyundai, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Panasonic, Tesco, ABB Group, BP, Veolia, and Asia Pacific Resources International Holdings.

12.  Huizhou

Huizhou is situated in the central-east region of Guangdong province and borders Dongguan, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen. The city has an export-oriented economy and depends largely on manufacturing industries. The industries in the city majorly support electronics, petrochemicals, and the automotive industry. The city produces about one-sixth of China’s and one-eighth of the world’s mobile phones. Huizhou is also the leading guitar manufacturer, producing about 25% of the world’s guitar production.

city buildings under blue sky during daytime

Guangdong is the most industrially developed province of China and houses some of the key industrial hubs of the country, such as Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Shantou, Zhongshan, and Foshan. The province also accounts for one-third of China’s exports. If you are looking to source products from China, Guangdong can be your go-to destination. However, different cities in the province are specialized in different products. We hope this guide will help you find the right city to source the products you are looking for.


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