China - Recent Storyline: Chinese clothing manufacturers ride wave of Guochao fashion trend [Voice_over] Chinese clothing manufacturers have seen a surge in orders already this year as the Guochao trend continues to sweep the country. Sometimes translated as China chic, Guochao literally means "national tide" and refers to the rising trend in domestic fashion of incorporating traditional Chinese elements into contemporary designs. The manager of the clothing factory in South China's Guangdong province, one of the country's major clothing production bases, said they've seen an increase in orders for Guochao designs. [Sound_bite] Ouyang Yongze, Manager, Clothing factory: "In January, our orders have increased by 50 percent. We are facing a shortage of workers." [Voice_over] With traditional elements like stand collars, button knots, and embroidery being incorporated into the designs, workers with special skills are in high demand. [Sound_bite] Ouyang Jingyi, worker, clothing factory: "In the past, we mainly used horizontal knotted button closures, which are easy to make. As customers' requirements get higher, we make more flower-shaped button closures, which are difficult to make. We have to hire extra hands." [Voice_over] Data from the Guangdong Association of Garment and Garment Article Industry showed that the value of China's Guochao apparel market exceeded 30 billion US dollars last year and is expected to reach more than 34 billion this year. [Restrictions : No access Chinese mainland]