News / Drought and power shortages bring crucial factories in China to a standstill

As container prices from China head south, drought and power rationing has triggered the closure of factories along the crucial Yangtze River commercial corridor.

A record heatwave in China’s south-west Sichuan province has led to depleted reservoirs and rolling blackouts as hydropower plants were forced to reduce electricity output.

Factories in Sichuan were ordered to shut for six days for power rationing – a regular feature during China’s hot summers – but the province is a key manufacturing region, specialising in the ...