Chinese manufacturing is undergoing upgrades, winning consumers at home and abroad

Chinese air conditioners are sold in a mall in France. (Photo provided by Midea Group)

Chinese products are capturing global attention with ever more creative innovations. This summer, a portable split air conditioner developed by a Chinese manufacturer became a sensation in Europe. Easy to install without drilling holes in walls, it not only protects historical buildings but also sets a benchmark for energy efficiency and environmental protection, prompting even those previously uninterested in air conditioners to reconsider.

Today's "made in China" is increasingly associated with ingenuity as well as affordability and variety. In one viral example, an American influencer gave his father a solar-powered fan hat made in China for Father's Day. When the father wore it while barbecuing outdoors, he was so delighted that he broke into an impromptu dance. The video quickly went viral on social media, driving sales of the quirky solar hat through the roof.

By catering to specific needs and tailored scenarios, Chinese brands are steadily gaining recognition among overseas consumers. The growing appeal of "shopping in China" underscores this momentum. From January to June this year, both sales and departure tax refunds on duty-free goods purchased in China increased by 94.6 percent and 93.2 percent year on year, respectively.

Why is "made in China" winning such wide popularity abroad, and what is driving the surge in "shopping in China"?

Beyond reliable quality and exceptional value for money, the deeper reason lies in China's comprehensive upgrade of its manufacturing sector, from design and production to brand building. By combining Chinese creativity with localized strategies, companies are better equipped to meet the diverse demands of global consumers.

Chinese and foreign merchants negotiate purchases at the China Yiwu Stationery & Gift Exhibition in Jinhua, east China's Zhejiang province, June 3, 2025. (Photo/Shi Kuanbing)

Meeting demand is the key to winning markets. As products "go global," they encounter a broad spectrum of consumer expectations, requiring adaptability across the entire product lifecycle, from functional design and scenario application to cross-border logistics and marketing services.

Food delivery robots provide a telling example. A yakiniku restaurant in Hachinohe, Japan, purchased robots from a Shanghai-based company to address labor shortages. However, models that had performed well in China initially struggled to win acceptance in Japan. After investigation, the company realized that the robot's appearance, service pace, and size did not align with local preferences. By redesigning them to be smaller and more agile, the company quickly won customer approval.

This deep integration of technological and industrial innovation, coupled with stronger capabilities to collect real-time feedback and rapidly iterate products, marks a new stage of upgrading in Chinese manufacturing and a fresh source of competitive advantage globally.

Cultural marketing represents another frontier. The more creativity and cultural value embedded in a product's design, the stronger its appeal and the higher its brand value.

Consider a jewelry brand that combines traditional craftsmanship with modern aesthetics. When it opened its first overseas store in Singapore this June, customer traffic rose steadily, with many drawn by the artistry and cultural symbolism of its pieces.

Bikes for export are manufactured in a workshop in an industrial park in Bengbu, east China's Anhui province, July 7, 2025. (Photo/Li Xiangqian)

Meanwhile, a company in Dongguan, south China's Guangdong province, turned dozens of traditional medicinal herbs from Bencao Gangmu (Compendium of Materia Medica, a herbology and nature masterpiece in China), into collectible figurines, promoting traditional Chinese medicine culture while also launching toy lines inspired by Shanhaijing, or The Classic of Mountains and Seas. These cultural-themed products have found enthusiastic audiences overseas.

By combining design with culture and technology, Chinese manufacturers are moving beyond "functional" to "user-friendly," and further toward "user-friendly and aesthetically pleasing." Affordable products enriched with cultural sophistication embody an upgrade in value creation.

By capturing consumer demand, embracing innovative and personalized design, and ensuring reliable quality, "made in China" is reshaping its image worldwide. Behind this transformation lies a shift from "quantity advantage" to "quality advantage," the strengthening of collaborative industrial supply chains, and the rapid emergence of new quality productive forces.

With a continued commitment to high-end, intelligent, and green development, underpinned by advances in technological innovation and cultural integration, Chinese manufacturing is set to move steadily along a broader path of high-quality growth.