sˈɪns ðə nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd ˈeɪɾi z, ðə ɹˈiːdʒən hˈæzbiːn hˈɛvili ɐfˈɛktᵻd baɪ ðə ɹᵻstɹˈʌktʃɚɹɪŋ ʌvðə tʃaɪnˈiːz ɪkˈɑːnəmi ænd ðə klˈoʊzɪŋ ænd kənsˌɑːlɪdˈeɪʃən ʌv mˈɛni hˈɛvi ˈɪndʌstɹi stˈeɪtˈoʊnd ˈɛntɚpɹˌaɪzᵻz sˈoʊz.
Since the 1980s, the region has been heavily affected by the restructuring of the Chinese economy and the closing and consolidation of many heavy industry State-owned enterprises (SOEs).