I was in Shenzhen about two weeks ago and even there it felt a bit “slow.” As if there are less people on the streets. Cab drivers complaining about no business. Stuff like that. While waiting for a friend to meet me, I chatted with a girl next to meet who just got off the train from Dong guan (she works at a factory there) and she basically said almost the same thing as you - almost word for word (except for the tax thing which I am sure she knows nothing about).