China trip notes – AI & green tech underpin optimism

We spent last week visiting clients in Taipei, Beijing and Shanghai. There were some concerns about events in the Middle East and the wider external environment. But the overall mood was relatively upbeat, with most expecting continued strength in manufacturing thanks to AI and green tech exports, and some seeing green shoots in China’s housing market. My final stop was Wuxi, a tier-2 city that is a posterchild for industrial upgrading but has not been immune from some of the wider challenges facing China’s economy.