China's stunning export comeback has factories scrambling for workers

A worker transfers packages for delivery at a warehouse of China Post Group in Hengyang, in central China's Hunan province. - AFP

BEIJING (Reuters): China's manufacturing recovery, fuelled in part by demand from Covid-constrained consumers abroad, has soared past expectations this year, so much so that factories are now struggling to fill a shortage of blue-collar workers to clear mounting orders.

The country's output of industrial robots, computer equipment, and integrated circuits has roared back from its coronavirus paralysis -- production for the year to November is up 22.2%, 10.1% and 15.9%, respectively.