In Guangdong and the United States: The attractiveness of China's smart economy is astonishing, with sales increasing by 12% this year

The 2026 National Two Sessions are currently underway. For foreign-funded enterprises in China, the discussions in the conference hall about "creating a new form of intelligent economy" have attracted market attention. In the acoustic laboratory of a sound factory in Panyu, Guangzhou, American businessman Philip Richardson is tuning a new type of speaker driver, one of his most familiar daily tasks. As the general manager of high-end audio manufacturer Trueanalog Strictly OEM, he has lived in Guangzhou for twenty-six years. His story may respond to the open signals released by this year's Two Sessions from another perspective. "So far, our sales have increased by about 12% compared to the same period last year." On March 10, Richardson calmly opened the interview with a reporter from Southern Metropolis Daily with the most intuitive data, holding a purchase order in his hand that has scheduled his factory's production until May this year. Irreplaceable Advantage: Instant Access and Incredible Speed When asked why he has remained rooted in China for nearly thirty years during the interview with Southern Metropolis Daily, Richardson mentioned a detail: magnetic materials. It turns out that for audio equipment, magnets are not ordinary components; they directly determine the sensitivity, distortion, and power handling capability of the speakers. Higher-grade magnetic materials mean more accurate sound reproduction and lower signal loss. The choice of magnetic materials by professional audio manufacturers is akin to the selection of wood by instrument makers. "In China, I can drive or fly to the magnet factory or mine and select the grade of magnets I need on-site," Richardson explained. "And this is basically impossible in the United States." What he needs is a customized magnetic circuit for specific acoustic designs—every parameter, from magnetic energy product to coercivity, affects the final sound quality. In China, he can walk into the factory, personally test samples of different batches of magnetic materials, and even request adjustments to the alloy ratios. This ability for "instant access" and "on-site control" of core supply chain elements is, in his view, one of the cornerstones that make Chinese manufacturing irreplaceable. A deeper advantage lies in China's astonishing speed of acceptance of new technologies. "China welcomes all kinds of new technologies, and the development speed here is unbelievable." He believes that Western engineers excel at breakthroughs from 0 to 1, but the Chinese supply chain is adept at taking innovations from 1 to 100. From blueprints to samples, Chinese factories can respond within 72 hours. In his factory, engineers can easily take a Didi ride to a diaphragm factory or voice coil factory within a 1.5-hour drive to solve technical problems on the spot, keeping the defect rate below 1%. American businessman Philip Richardson has been living in Guangzhou for many years. "Walking with Chinese counterparts is walking with opportunities" Richardson's connection with China began at the Canton Fair in 1998. In 2004, he officially established his audio company in Guangzhou, focusing on high-end audio equipment. Today, his company has 30 employees and 6 engineers. His life is also deeply rooted here. His wife is from Taiwan, and they have built a family in Guangzhou. His transformation from an exhibitor to a business owner rooted in Guangzhou perfectly reflects China's journey of opening up to the outside world. In his view, the biannual Canton Fair is not just about making deals, but also about building trust through face-to-face communication. This long-established trust is irreplaceable by any tariff policy or trade barrier. As discussions about the restructuring of global supply chains continue, Richardson has made his choice: to invest approximately 1.8 million yuan to expand his R&D center in Guangzhou. "The current global economic landscape is undergoing deep adjustments, and uncertainty remains the main theme," Richardson agrees. "But walking with Chinese counterparts has been an opportunity in the past, and it will certainly be better validated in the future." For foreign investors like him, who have been deeply engaged in China for over twenty years, the strong message of openness released by the two sessions is the confidence that allows them to continue investing heavily in China amidst uncertainty. Planning: Wang Ying Coordination: Ma Jianzhong Reporting: Nandu Bay Finance Society reporter Huang Chibo