Panyu has its work cut out to maintain shine

Diamond district in Guangdong reels from the impact of rising costs, reports Xu Jingxi in Guangzhou

Transformation and upgrading are the buzzwords in the jewelry industry in Guangzhou's Panyu district, a key center of China's diamond industry, as exports falter and costs rise.

Panyu's jewelry exports surged from $2.53 billion in 2011 to $4.13 billion in 2013, according to customs data provided by the district's economic and trade promotion bureau - a growth rate of almost 28 percent a year.