A Guardian podcast takes listeners inside China's fast-fashion factories in Guangzhou, where workers and businesses are bracing for the impact of potential US tariffs as the deadline for a US-China trade deal approaches. The piece highlights the ongoing tension since the Trump era, including past tariffs as high as 145%, and the fragile partial truce set to expire soon.

Editor’s Note: This story matters because it sheds light on the real-world consequences of geopolitical tensions—workers and businesses caught in the crossfire of a US-China trade standoff. If the truce collapses, higher tariffs could disrupt global supply chains, raise consumer prices, and hurt livelihoods in China's manufacturing hubs. It’s a reminder of how trade policies aren’t just abstract numbers—they affect real people.