China AI Strategy: Policy, Regulation & Global Impact in 2025
Aug 24, 2025
China is scaling up its artificial intelligence ambitions at an unprecedented pace. Morgan Stanley projects its domestic AI market could reach $1.4 trillion by 2030, a target that aligns with Beijing’s explicit goal of global AI leadership.
In 2024 alone, it accounted for 61.5% of new global generative AI patents, while the core AI industry exceeded ¥700 billion ($96 billion), supported by an AI chip market worth more than ¥140 billion ($19 billion). As of April 2025, China had filed 1.57 million AI patents — 38.6% of the global total, the highest worldwide.
The government has paired massive state funding with strict regulation, while working closely with major tech firms and local governments to accelerate adoption. China’s strategy rests on three pillars:
Building a self-sufficient AI ecosystem to reduce foreign dependence on chips, hardware, and algorithms.
Embedding AI across the economy and defense, from healthcare and transport to smart cities and intelligentized warfare.
Exporting governance models worldwide, using initiatives like the Global AI Governance Initiative (2023) and the Shanghai Declaration on Global AI Governance (2024) to shape global rules.
This article examines the strategy through three lenses: the policy timeline shaping its evolution, the regulatory framework enforcing development, and the global impact of China’s expanding influence.
Key Takeawaysof China AI Strategy
Here’s a brief overview of the following article:
Definition of China’s AI Strategy: China’s approach combines self-reliance in chips and algorithms, economy-wide AI adoption, and global governance leadership by 2030.
Policy Timeline: National plans since 2017, city pilots in Shanghai and Shenzhen, and new governance rules in 2023–24 shaped today’s regulatory framework.
Role of Tech Giants: Baidu, Alibaba, Tencent, and Huawei drive large models, infrastructure, and compliance, while aligning closely with government priorities.
Military and Security Uses: The PLA integrates AI into drones, logistics, and cyber operations, though heavy reliance on imported hardware remains a challenge.
Global Impact: Beijing exports AI governance models through UN initiatives, BRICS, and the Belt and Road, creating both influence and geopolitical friction.
Contact Ashley Dudarenok today for tactical clarity on China’s AI strategy.
Timeline of China’s AI Strategy
China’s AI strategy has evolved through successive national plans and regulations:
2017 – New Generation AI Development Plan (AIDP)
The State Council issued this landmark plan, setting staged goals for 2020, 2025, and 2030. Targets included a ¥1 trillion ($140 billion) domestic AI industry and ¥10 trillion ($1.4T) in related industries by 2030. The plan mobilized state resources to grow talent, R&D, and markets.
2018–2020 – Provincial and municipal AI plans
Local governments began translating the national AI plan into city-level strategies. Shanghai, Shenzhen, Hangzhou, and Beijing launched early pilot zones, AI parks, and data centers, laying the groundwork for regional competition and experimentation.
2021–2025 – 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25)
The 14th Five-Year Plan elevated AI as a strategic priority, requiring the digital economy’s core industries to reach 10% of GDP by 2025. Policies directed heavy investment into semiconductors, workforce training, and national computing networks.
By the end of 2024, China had built the world’s largest 5G and fiber-optic broadband network, supported by 4.25M 5G base stations, 200M gigabit users, and 280 EFLOPs of computing power.
2022–2023 – Local Governance Experiments
Shanghai enacted the Shanghai AI Development Regulations (2022), China’s first local-level AI law. It mandated ethics committees for AI projects, dataset exchanges to regulate data flows, and industrial zones like the Lingang AI Zone to attract startups.
Shenzhen piloted blockchain-based licensing for algorithms in fintech, pioneering China’s first algorithm governance sandbox. These city-level experiments acted as regulatory laboratories for national AI lawmaking.
2023–2024 – New governance rules and model frameworks
China shifted from plans to enforcement. The Cyberspace Administration of China introduced rules for deep synthesis and generative AI, requiring content labeling, user consent, and security reviews.
In 2024, standards bodies such as TC260 issued technical guides, while the State Council launched new coordinating agencies—the Central Science & Technology Commission and the National Data Administration.
2024–2025 – International Governance Push
China began exporting its governance model abroad. In 2023, it launched the Global AI Governance Initiative at the UN. At the 2024 World AI Conference, Beijing co-authored the Shanghai Declaration on Global AI Governance, later echoed in UN resolutions on AI and human rights.
By mid-2025, China led joint statements at the UN Human Rights Council on AI for accessibility, disability rights, and children’s protection.
Strategic Goals and National Priorities
Agriculture AI techno
China’s AI strategy revolves around four clear priorities: leadership by 2030, self-reliance in core technologies, economy-wide integration, and talent development. Each supports broader goals of security, stability, and influence.
Global AI leadership by 2030 – the central milestone guiding national funding, local pilots, and regulatory frameworks.
Self-reliance in core technologies – building domestic chips, computing networks, and AI models to reduce dependence on foreign supply chains.
Integration across the economy and defense – AI is embedded into national priorities:
Education – personalized learning and intelligent tutoring
Defense – surveillance, logistics, and decision-support systems
Infrastructure and talent – expanding national supercomputing power, AI degree programs, and workforce retraining to sustain rapid growth.
Social and security priorities – embedding AI in public services, urban management, and national defense to advance state-led development goals.
Regulatory Architecture and Governing Bodies
Manufacturing plant of the automobile industry
China’s AI governance relies on a network of agencies and Party bodies, with the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) at the center. Oversight covers data, algorithms, ethics, and industrial policy, all framed within state-led priorities.
Lead Regulators
Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) – Oversees online content, algorithm rules, and emerging frameworks for deep synthesis and generative AI. Recent regulations require deepfake labeling, chatbot filtering, and pre-release security reviews.
Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) – Guides national research priorities, chairs AI committees, and leads ethics frameworks.
Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) – Manages telecom integration, AI labs, and industrial deployments through institutes such as CAICT.
National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC): This commission Aligns AI projects with economic planning, infrastructure funding, and industrial transformation goals.
New coordinating agencies (2023–24) – The Central Science & Technology Commission and the National Data Administration centralize authority, balancing Party leadership with technical oversight.
Local Governance as Testbeds
Local governments serve as policy testbeds for AI regulation. Pilots first introduced in Shanghai and Shenzhen during 2022–23 have since shaped national standards on ethics oversight, data management, and algorithm licensing. Beijing now treats these city-level innovations as templates for broader compliance frameworks.
Global Governance and Diplomacy
Beijing increasingly exports its governance model abroad. Key initiatives include:
The Global AI Governance Initiative (2023) – A proposal at the UN emphasizing state sovereignty in data and algorithm oversight.
The Shanghai Declaration on Global AI Governance (2024) – Adopted at the World AI Conference, calling for “inclusive, secure, and fair AI.”
UN engagement (2024–25) – China co-led joint statements at the UN Human Rights Council on AI promoting disability rights, children’s protection, women’s rights, and accessibility. Over 70 countries supported Beijing’s call for inclusive governance.
Think Tanks and Standards Bodies
Institutions such as CAICT and Tsinghua’s AI Governance Institute provide technical advice and draft standards, which are funneled into the TC260 committee. The standards cover watermarking, transparency, andalgorithm risk classification and gradually expand into full compliance audits for foundation models.
Ethical and Social Governance of AI
China frames AI ethics around the principle of “secure, controllable, and beneficial AI”, designed to align with socialist values and prevent social disruption. Unlike the EU’s rights-centric model, China emphasizes state oversight, collective stability, and compliance with national priorities.
Core Rules and Frameworks
Data Protection – The Personal Information Protection Law (2021) requires explicit consent for AI use of personal and biometric data.
Algorithmic Fairness – AI systems must not discriminate by gender, ethnicity, or religion, with particular protections for children, workers, and other vulnerable groups.
Content Responsibility – Under CAC’s deep synthesis regulations (2023–24), AI-generated media must carry watermarks, deepfakes must be labeled, and chatbots must filter prohibited content.
Corporate Accountability – Companies developing high-risk AI must establish internal ethics committees and compliance boards. Regulators retain the authority to audit or suspend non-compliant systems.
City-Level Governance Pilots
Shanghai and Shenzhen, already pioneers in early governance pilots, are now scaling their frameworks. Shanghai enforces ethics committees citywide, while Shenzhen’s fintech sandbox informs Beijing’s plans for national algorithm licensing.
Social Responsibility and Inclusion
China’s approach to AI ethics is not limited to technical safety. It ties into broader social governance goals:
AI is being used to extend healthcare access in underserved regions through remote consultations.
Smart city platforms like Hangzhou’s City Brain are tested for pollution reduction, traffic safety, and emergency response, aligning AI adoption with collective welfare.
The government actively promotes AI literacy campaigns in schools and vocational training, linking social equity with long-term governance.
Military and Dual-Use Applications
Image from Brookings. PLA’s Strategic Support Force and AI Innovation
Artificial intelligence is central to China’s civil–military fusion strategy, which channels university research and private-sector innovation into defense. The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) refers to this as “intelligentizedwarfare,” leveraging AI to improve decision-making, battlefield awareness, logistics, and cyber operations.
Current Capabilities
Recent PLA demonstrations highlight progress in:
Drone swarms — palm-sized reconnaissance drones and larger jet-powered swarms for surveillance or payload delivery.
AI-driven logistics — predictive maintenance and automated supply chains to enhance operational efficiency.
Autonomous guidance systems — AI integration into vehicles and missiles for real-time navigation and targeting.
Cyber and cognitive operations — AI-enabled tools for information dominance and psychological operations.
Many of these advances originate from civilian labs and startups before being adapted for defense use, underscoring the depth of civil–military integration.
Strategic Risks
Despite rapid progress, China remains dependent on foreign suppliers for critical defense-related hardware:
Nearly 90% of high-performance radars, ultrasonic sensors, and chips are imported from the U.S., EU, and Japan.
Frameless torque motors — considered the “heart” of humanoid robots — are dominated by U.S., German, and Swiss firms. A single advanced humanoid robot can require 28 such motors, leaving China vulnerable to supply chain disruptions.
Coreless motors used in robotic actuators remain largely monopolized by U.S. and Japanese companies.
These dependencies pose risks to China’s ability to scale next-generation defense AI systems and highlight the strategic importance of domestic substitution programs.
Regulatory Gaps and Global Risks
Unlike civilian AI, military AI lacks a formal regulatory framework in China. Ethical guidelines such as the 2021 AI ethics norms do not apply to the PLA, and Beijing has not joined international treaties on autonomous weapons. This opacity raises global concerns:
Escalation risk in military AI competition with the U.S. and Russia.
Potential fragmentation of global norms, as China pushes for sovereignty-based governance while Western actors emphasize arms-control agreements.
Outlook
Beijing’s position is clear: AI must strengthen sovereignty and military readiness. With civil–military fusion accelerating, the PLA is positioned to rapidly adapt breakthroughs from the civilian ecosystem. Yet the absence of binding oversight mechanisms adds uncertainty to how China’s AI-enabled warfare capabilities will evolve on the global stage.
Role of Chinese Tech Giants in the AI Ecosystem
China’s private tech sector — led by a handful of national champions — drives much of the country’s AI innovation while aligning closely with state priorities. These firms not only develop large-scale models and infrastructure but also act as policy executors, translating government directives into market-ready deployments.
Baidu: LLM Pioneer
Baidu has shifted from search to serious AI muscle. Its ERNIE models (especially ERNIE Bot) became central to its cloud strategy, pulling in ¥656 million ($90M) in late 2023. With plans to open-source ERNIE 4.5 in 2025, Baidu is positioning itself as a key player in both commercial and strategic AI.
It also collaborates closely with the government, co-authoring policy blueprints and running national AI labs like the Baidu–Tsinghua Joint Lab.
Alibaba: Enterprise AI for Scale
Alibaba’s AI strategy runs through DAMO Academy and Alibaba Cloud, anchored by its Tongyi Qianwen large model. By mid-2024, over 90,000 enterprises were using it for chat, analysis, and automation.
DAMO also develops open-source models such as Qwen-VL for multimodal tasks, reinforcing Alibaba’s role in scaling AI across Chinese business ecosystems. The company works closely with universities and research institutes, aligning with national tech priorities.
Tencent: Quiet but Deep Integration
Tencent integrates AI across WeChat, gaming, and fintech through its Hunyuan multimodal models. While less public about its AI strategy, Tencent’s AI Lab and Research Institute work on cutting-edge generative systems and national research initiatives.
Tencent also partners with government agencies on AI safety and compliance pilots, embedding itself into regulatory frameworks while monetizing consumer-facing applications.
Huawei: Infrastructure Backbone
Huawei underpins China’s AI ecosystem from the ground up. Its Ascend chips, MindSpore AI framework, and ModelArts platform are cornerstones of domestic compute independence. Huawei also powers the West–East AI Compute Project, which redistributes computing workloads across China to address regional imbalances.
Internationally, Huawei exports its Safe City platforms, which are already deployed across Africa and the Middle East. These platforms provide surveillance and urban management solutions and extend Beijing’s AI governance model abroad.
Other Notable AI Firms
China’s AI field also includes specialized unicorns:
SenseTime – facial recognition and vision AI
iFLYTEK – speech recognition and LLMs
Megvii and CloudWalk – surveillance and biometric AI
Most receive state-aligned funding and collaborate on research, making them key contributors to China’s applied AI ecosystem.
Companies as Policy Executors
Chinese tech giants are not just market players; they act as policy partners. When Beijing restricted foreign LLMs in 2023, domestic firms accelerated chatbot launches. When AI healthcare became a priority, Baidu and Tencent introduced diagnostic and eldercare tools. In exchange, these companies gain:
Fast-track regulatory approvals
Privileged access to training data
Lucrative state contracts for surveillance, transport, and smart city systems
This symbiotic relationship creates a two-way pipeline: Corporate innovation advances government objectives, while government support ensures these firms dominate the domestic market and expand China’s influence abroad.
Local Government Pilots and City-Level Innovation
Homepage of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization
This is where you expand with all the city-specific examples, so readers see how pilots evolved:
Beijing – National AI capital with 2,400+ AI companies, 33,000 PFlop/s of compute, and institutes like the Beijing Academy of AI. Hosts massive datasets and R&D hubs.
Shanghai – First city to codify AI law (2022), requiring ethics committees and dataset exchanges; developed Lingang AI Zone and launched pilot services like autonomous buses.
Shenzhen – HQ for Tencent & Huawei R&D; pioneered blockchain-based licensing for algorithms and deployed AI across fintech, factories, and airports.
Hangzhou – Home to Alibaba’s City Brain, used to optimize traffic, pollution, and logistics (notably scaled during the 2024 Asian Games).
Other hubs are Guangzhou (healthcare AI), Jiangsu and Sichuan (algorithm sandboxes), and Wuhan and Chongqing (industrial IoT and drones).
Local Labs as National Sandboxes
These local pilots are more than city branding—they’re field tests for national policy. Beijing sets standards, but cities test what works. Whether Shanghai codifies AI law, Shenzhen licenses fintech algorithms, or Sichuan trials edtech audits, this experimentation helps shape how China governs and deploys AI at scale.
Global Positioning and Tech Geopolitics
China frames AI as both a domestic growth driver and a tool of global influence. Competition with the U.S. remains central—Washington leads in chips and models, while Beijing emphasizes deployment scale and regulatory sovereignty. With the EU prioritizing rights-based rules, China positions itself as an alternative model built on state-led oversight.
Homepage of Hikvision
Regional Cooperation: BRICS, ASEAN, and Belt & Road
Beijing also leverages multilateral blocs to extend its AI footprint:
Established the BRICS AI Development & Cooperation Center and the China–ASEAN AI Innovation Center, both serving as platforms for regional collaboration in R&D and talent training.
Advanced Belt and Road Digital Cooperation, exporting infrastructure such as Huawei’s Safe City surveillance platforms and Alibaba DAMO’s SeaLLM model, the first large-scale AI system trained on Southeast Asian languages.
Partnered with Egypt on the Digital Egypt Builders Program, helping train AI professionals and accelerating digital transformation in the Middle East.
Partnerships and Training
China funds AI research centers, scholarships, and fellowships abroad. In 2024, it co-launched Africa’s first Center of Excellence in AI and Digital Economy with the UN. Chinese firms also provide low-cost AI tools for translation, fraud detection, and agriculture, embedding themselves as long-term partners rather than short-term vendors.
Standards and Global Governance
In global standards bodies such as ISO, ITU, and WTO, China promotes its governance model—emphasizing algorithm oversight, data sovereignty, and state-led accountability. These technical standards complement its diplomatic initiatives (Global AI Governance Initiative and Shanghai Declaration), giving Beijing influence over both rules and infrastructure.
Outlook
China’s global AI push involves infrastructure, exports, and diplomacy. Its approach resonates in the Global South but fuels friction with Western powers. The long-term question is whether these efforts lead to a fragmented AI ecosystem or a broader acceptance of state-centered governance models.
Future Outlook (2025–2030)
humanoid robot with smartphone at technology
Looking ahead, China’s AI strategy is shifting from planning to execution. The state-backed “AI+” programs will expand deployments across manufacturing, agriculture, healthcare, and urban management while shaping new governance standards at home and abroad.
Execution Across Core Sectors
Manufacturing – Automated factories, predictive supply chains, and industrial IoT systems are scaling under the AI+ Manufacturing initiative.
Agriculture – Precision farming, drone spraying, and AI-driven yield prediction will support food security in rural regions.
Healthcare – Diagnostic platforms are expanding beyond major hospitals, with AI raising cancer detection rates by 25% and enabling nationwide remote consultations.
Smart cities—Following its success during the 2024 Asian Games, Platforms such as Hangzhou’s City Brain will extend from logistics to waste, pollution, and energy management.
Elder care – Assistive robotics and monitoring systems are positioned to address China’s rapidly aging population.
Emerging Trends Shaping 2025–2030
Analysts predict several new trends will define China’s AI trajectory:
Open-Source Generative AI – Sparked by DeepSeek in 2025, open GenAI is expected to account for half of China’s AI ecosystem by 2026, fueling collaboration and low-cost adoption.
Frugal AI – Cost-efficient, compute-light AI solutions will lower barriers for SMEs and rural adoption, aligning with Beijing’s inclusion goals.
“Build Your Own” AI Strategy – By 2028, demand for in-house AI development skills will grow 50%, as companies favor internal teams over off-the-shelf models.
Agent-Based AI – By 2028, 33% of enterprise software will embed agent-based AI (up from <1% in 2024), enhancing automation in finance, logistics, and customer service.
Collaborative AI Defense Systems – By 2028, 60% of firms will adopt cross-departmental AI security frameworks, reflecting rising concern over cyber and algorithmic risks.
Ubiquitous AI in Society – By 2030, AI penetration across daily life in China is forecast to exceed 50%, integrating into consumer services, governance, and education.
Data Ecosystems as Differentiators—As models become standardized, companies will compete on unique proprietary data, shifting the focus from algorithm superiority to data ecosystems.
Opportunities and Risks Ahead
If executed as planned, China’s AI sector could add ¥6.7 trillion ($930B) in labor value by 2030, supporting its $1.4 trillion AI market target. However, dependency risks remain: nearly 90% of advanced chips and sensors are imported, and brain drain continues, with 54% of Chinese-origin AI scientists working abroad. These vulnerabilities could delay progress if global tech bifurcation deepens.
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If you’re looking to deepen your strategic insight into China’s integrated AI ecosystem—from regulation and tech self-reliance to exports, standards, and innovation models—Ashley Dudarenok brings unparalleled relevance and credentials.
Proven Track Record in AI-Relevant Keynotes & Strategy
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Ashley is the founder of ChoZan and Alarice, strategy consultancies that have helped global clients navigate China’s AI-powered consumer platforms and B2B ecosystems—especially as Beijing tightened algorithm controls and reshaped the AI export narrative.
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10 FAQs on China’s AI Strategy (2024–2025)
What is China’s target for its domestic AI market by 2030?
Morgan Stanley projects that China’s domestic AI market could expand to $1.4 trillion by 2030, aligning with Beijing’s strategic aim of global AI leadership outlined in the 2017 New Generation AI Development Plan.
Which national plans have driven China’s AI strategy so far?
The strategy began with the 2017 New Generation AI Development Plan, followed by provincial blueprints (2018–2020), the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021–25), which set the digital economy target at 10% of GDP, and finally binding regulations in 2023–24 addressing deepfakes, generative AI, and oversight.
Who leads AI regulation in China, and how is governance structured?
The Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) leads regulation on algorithms and content, with support from MOST, MIIT, NDRC, and the newly created Central Science & Technology Commission and National Data Administration. National labs and think tanks like TC260 also help shape standards.
How is AI ethics enforced under China’s governance model?
China emphasizes “secure, controllable” AI aligned with socialist values via ethics norms (2021) and the TC260 framework (2024). The PIPL enforces privacy, while deepfake rules, chatbot restrictions, and algorithm transparency mandates protect fairness and content security. High-risk systems may face targeted audits over time.
What does “intelligentized warfare” mean in the PLA’s AI strategy?
Coined in China’s 2019 defense paper, “intelligentized warfare” refers to multi-domain AI use—spanning robotics, logistics, cyber, reconnaissance, and cognitive warfare. Real-world examples include April 2025’s palm-sized micro-drone swarms and jet drone swarms, often developed through civil–military fusion.
How are tech giants like Baidu and Alibaba shaping China’s AI ecosystem?
Firms like Baidu (ERNIE Bot), Alibaba (Tongyi Qianwen), Tencent (Hunyuan models), and Huawei (Ascend chips, MindSpore framework) drive innovation. They’re also policy partners, with open-source contributions and government-backed lab collaborations, and benefit from fast-track data access and public contracts.
What is China’s approach to open-source AI—and its global impact?
China is rapidly advancing open—source AI. Models like DeepSeek, Qwen, MiniMax, and Moonshot are publicly released, fueling adoption and local-language performance gains. This strategy challenges Western closed models and helps embed Chinese influence in global AI development.
How are Chinese cities piloting AI outside national policy?
Cities like Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Hangzhou, and others run localized AI initiatives—from City Brain traffic systems and ethics-mandating laws to blockchain algorithm sandboxes and smart elder care. These city-level experiments inform national deployment and regulations.
What international roles is China playing in AI governance?
China launched the Global AI Governance Initiative at the UN in 2023 and a 13-point Action Plan at the 2025 World AI Conference. It seeks to establish a “Global AI Cooperation Organization” and influence bodies like ISO, WTO, and ITU with ideas like state oversight, data sovereignty, and shared capacities.
What regulatory roadmaps should we expect for 2025–2030?
Look for pre-approval of high-risk AI systems, obligatory registration of foundation models, and safety audits (e.g., watermarking, robustness checks). CAC and TC260 dossier mandates may consolidate into a national AI law by 2025–26, mirroring the trajectory of prior cybersecurity legislation.
Top 50 Inspirational Females Changing the World Today
Aug 23, 2025
What do the world’s most inspirational females have in common? They don’t follow blueprints—they build their own. These women are redefining leadership across China and beyond, not through titles, but through impact.
From founding billion-dollar tech startups to transforming eldercare, climate solutions, and education, these 50 inspirational females are solving problems at scale and shifting the global conversation on what female leadership looks like. These 50 women aren’t rising stars—they’re already running the show.
Key Takeaways
Definition of inspirational female leadership: These women are recognized for creating impact across business, technology, healthcare, fashion, and climate solutions.
Barriers and challenges: Many face cultural expectations, funding gaps, and systemic biases but continue to shape industries worldwide.
Industries transformed: From billion-dollar tech startups to global fashion, ride-hailing, and education, their leadership drives growth and innovation.
Global presence: The list highlights women of Chinese descent in Mainland China and the diaspora leading change across Asia, the U.S., and beyond.
Lasting influence: Their work redefines what female leadership looks like by solving problems at scale and opening doors for future generations.
Contact us to learn more about leadership insights and global impact.
Mainland China ( Inspirational Females Entrepreneurs Based in Mainland China)
1. Dong Mingzhu – Gree Electric Appliances
Chairwoman & President; Consumer Electronics; China (Zhuhai).
Image from Instagram
Dong Mingzhu has led Gree, China’s largest air conditioner maker, turning it into a global brand. Known for her charismatic leadership and innovation drive, she has guided Gree’s growth and was ranked among China’s top businesswomen.
She’s a 10-time Fortune “Most Powerful Women” honoree and remains the sole Chinese woman ever named one of the Harvard Business Review’s “Best‑Performing CEOs.”
In 2024, she oversaw Gree’s breakthrough in developing its own chips—aiming to bolster smart home tech and supply chain resilience—without state funding.
2. Zhou Qunfei – Lens Technology
Image from Facebook
Founder & CEO; Electronics Manufacturing (Touchscreens); China (Hunan).
Zhou Qunfei, born in 1970 in rural Hunan, rose from migrant factory worker to become China’s richest self-made woman. She founded Lens Technology in 2003, starting with touchscreen components in a small Shenzhen workshop.
Co-founder & Chairwoman; Electronics Manufacturing; China (Shenzhen).
Grace Wang co-founded Luxshare in 2004 and turned it into a key supplier of electronics components (for companies like Apple). Recognized globally, she was named one of the world’s youngest self-made women billionaires in 2014 and was ranked China’s second-richest woman in 2021.
In 2023, she topped Forbes China’s businesswomen list, reflecting Luxshare’s rapid growth and her influence in high-tech manufacturing.
4. Peng Lei (Lucy Peng) – Alibaba / Ant Group
Co-founder & Former CEO of Ant Financial; E-commerce & Fintech; China (Hangzhou).
Lucy Peng is one of Alibaba’s 18 co-founders and the founding CEO of Ant Financial (now Ant Group). A former economics lecturer, she joined Alibaba in 1999 and built its HR department, shaping the company’s culture. She became CEO of Alipay in 2010 and helped grow its user base massively.
In 2014, she launched Ant Financial, which raised over $22 billion, making her one of the highest-funded female founders globally. She also served as CEO of Lazada and was listed among Forbes’ most powerful women in 2016.
5. Trudy Dai (Dai Shan) – Alibaba / Taobao & Tmall Group
Image from alizila.com
Co-founder of Alibaba, former President of Alibaba B2B & CEO of Taobao/Tmall; E-commerce; China (Hangzhou).
Trudy Dai is one of Alibaba’s 18 original co-founders and a key architect of its e-commerce empire. She ran Alibaba’s B2B unit and later took charge as CEO of the Taobao and Tmall Group, Alibaba’s core online shopping platforms.
Under her stewardship, Taobao/Tmall continued to dominate China’s e-commerce market. Dai is frequently honored among Asia’s top female business leaders for her role in Alibaba’s success.
6. Qu Fang (Miranda Qu) – Xiaohongshu (RED)
Co-founder & President; Social Commerce; China (Shanghai).
Miranda Qu co-founded RedNote in 2013 and helped build it into China’s leading lifestyle social commerce platform. With over 260 million monthly active users sharing fashion, beauty, and travel tips, RED blends Instagram-like content with e-commerce.
Qu’s vision created a trend-setting community that influences Chinese consumer behavior and has attracted over 170,000 brands to engage on the platform.
7. Liu Qing (Jean Liu) – DiDi Chuxing
President, Technology (Ride-Hailing); China (Beijing).
Jean Liu (born 1978, Beijing) is the former President and co-founder of DiDi Chuxing, China’s leading ride-hailing platform. A Harvard-trained computer scientist, she spent 12 years at Goldman Sachs before joining DiDi in 2014.
Liu led DiDi’s merger with Kuaidi Dache and the acquisition of Uber China, transforming the company into a global tech force.
Under her leadership, DiDi secured major investments, including $1 billion from Apple. In 2024, she stepped down as president and board director to focus on long-term talent and sustainability as DiDi’s Chief People Officer.
8. Yang Lan – Sun Media
Co-founder & Chairperson; Media & Entertainment; China (Beijing).
Often called the “Oprah of China,” Yang Lan co-founded Sun Media and built a multimedia empire spanning television, print, and the internet. A famous talk show host turned entrepreneur, she uses her platforms to promote cultural exchange and women’s empowerment, making her one of China’s most influential media figures.
She also launched Her Village to empower Chinese women. Yang has received many honors, including being named one of Forbes’ “World’s 100 Most Powerful Women”.
9. Wang Shutong (Diane Wang) – DHgate
Founder & CEO; E-commerce (B2B Marketplace); China (Beijing).
Diane Wang founded DHgate in 2004, creating one of China’s first online B2B marketplaces. The platform enables millions of small Chinese exporters to sell goods globally. A former Microsoft and Cisco executive, Wang also earlier founded Joyo.com (acquired by Amazon).
Under her leadership, DHgate has grown into a leading cross-border e-commerce site, and she has been lauded as an “Outstanding Woman of China” for her pioneering role in digital trade.
10. Chen Anni – Kuaikan Manhua
Founder & CEO; Online Comics; China (Beijing).
Chen Anni founded Kuaikan Manhua, which became China’s most popular comic and anime platform. Launching with her hit webcomic series at age 22, she grew Kuaikan to over 170 million users. Chen has raised record funding in the comics industry, empowering a new generation of digital artists and readers.
11. Zhang Mo–Yi+ (AiMan Tech)
Founder & CEO; Artificial Intelligence (Computer Vision); China (Beijing).
Mo founded Yi+ in 2012 to develop AI-powered visual recognition. Her company’s image recognition software set a world record by exceeding 90% accuracy in a global object detection challenge.
Birthed after garnering $200,000 in angel funding, Yi+ swiftly gained attention with its “shopping‑while‑watching” technology and achieved top-tier wins in prestigious ImageNet and Pascal VOC object detection challenges
Yi+ provides AI vision solutions to giants like Huawei and Weibo, and its fashion-search sub-brand helps consumers find products via images.
Kathy Gong is a tech prodigy turned entrepreneur who co-founded WafaGames, a gaming company known for creating strong female characters. She also founded AI Law, a legal robotics startup that provides affordable legal assistance to millions.
A former national chess champion, Gong now champions youth mentorship through her nonprofit while innovating in tech.
13. Daisy Guo – Tezign
Co-founder & CMO; Creative Platform; China (Shanghai).
Daisy Guo co-founded Tezign, a platform that matches designers with businesses, fueling Asia’s freelance design economy. Tezign has served 8,000+ corporate clients (Unilever, Special Olympics, etc.) and raised significant funding to build AI capabilities.
A recognized Changemaker, Guo earned honors on Forbes Asia’s “30 Under 30”. Guo’s work helps creative talent connect with opportunities, driving the creative industry forward.
14. Zhao Hejuan (Jany Zhao) – TMTPost
Founder & CEO; Media & Data Services; China (Beijing).
Zhao Hejuan founded TMTPost, a leading tech media and financial data provider in China. A former investigative journalist, she built TMTPost into a dynamic platform connecting decision-makers with insights on innovation.
Zhao also launched ChainDD (for blockchain news) and has been recognized among China’s top women CEOs for her visionary leadership. In 2024, she was honored as one of the “Top 10 Women CEOs in China” by Global Woman Leader magazine, recognized for her leadership, social impact, and drive in fostering gender equality and technological innovation
15. Dr. Nan Fang – Singleron Biotechnologies
Co-founder & CEO; Biotechnology; China (Nanjing).
Dr. Fang Nan co-founded Singleron in 2018 to pioneer single-cell sequencing technology. Under her leadership as Chairwoman and CEO, Singleron developed a globally acclaimed single-cell analysis platform and launched 40+ products within a few years.
Fang’s innovations in precision medicine earned her recognition as one of China’s top women in tech. She advances healthcare research worldwide.
16. Ma Chun’e (Anne Ma) – Shukun Technology
Founder & CEO; Healthcare AI; China (Beijing).
Anne Ma founded Shukun Technology in 2017 to apply AI in medical imaging diagnostics. Shukun’s AI-powered system assists cardiologists in detecting heart disease more accurately and efficiently.
Ma led the startup to raise substantial venture funding by 2019. The startup aims to combat China’s high cardiovascular disease rates with cutting-edge technology.
17. Chai Xiu – Milkground Food Tech
Founder & CEO; Dairy (Cheese Manufacturing); China (Shanghai).
Chai Xiu is a pioneer of China’s cheese industry. She founded Shanghai Milkground Food Tech, which now holds about 44% of China’s cheese market. Launching her dairy business in 2001 and refocusing on cheese in 2015, Chai rode surging demand as Chinese diets Westernized.
Milkground became China’s leading cheese brand, earning Chai recognition as an “Outstanding Businesswoman of China” in 2023.
18. Joey Wat – Yum China
Chief Executive Officer; Food & Beverage (Restaurants); China (Shanghai).
Joey Wat leads Yum China, a Fortune 500 fast-food giant that operates KFC, Pizza Hut, and Taco Bell in China. Since becoming CEO in 2018, she has steered Yum China through digital transformation and growth, even amid pandemic challenges.
Under her leadership, Yum China has expanded to over 16,500 stores, leveraging digital innovation, modernized operations, and rapid menu development
Wat’s global savvy (honed by a decade in the UK retail sector) and strategic innovations earned her repeated spots on Forbes and Fortune power-women lists.
19. He Qiaonv (He Qiaonyu) – Orient Landscape
Founder & Chairwoman; Landscape Architecture & Environmental Conservation; China (Beijing).
He Qiaonv founded Beijing Orient Landscape, Asia’s largest landscape architecture firm. Under her guidance, the company has designed eco-friendly parks and urban green spaces across China.
She is also one of China’s top philanthropists, pledging a record $1.5 billion for global wildlife conservation – a testament to her influence in both business and environmental circles.
20. Guo Pei – Rose Studio (Fashion)
Founder & Creative Director; Haute Couture Fashion; China (Beijing).
Guo Pei is China’s foremost couturier. She is famed for designing Rihanna’s stunning yellow gown at the 2015 Met Gala. She founded her own couture atelier and became the first Asian designer invited as a guest member of Paris’s Haute Couture Syndicate.
In 2016, Time named Guo Pei one of the world’s 100 most influential people for putting Chinese high fashion on the global map.
21. Hu Weiwei – Mobike
Co-founder (former CEO); Technology (Bike-Sharing); China (Beijing).
Hu Weiwei co-founded Mobike in 2015, sparking a global dockless bike-sharing revolution. By 2018, Mobike had 200+ million users and was acquired for $2.7 billion.
Hu’s vision of solving “last mile” transit in cities touched 150 million riders in just three years. She was honored on Forbes and Fortune lists for changing urban mobility, before stepping down as CEO in late 2018.
22. Zhang Yin (Cheung Yan) – Nine Dragons Paper
Founder & Chairwoman; Manufacturing (Paper Recycling); China (Dongguan).
Zhang Yin built Nine Dragons into the world’s largest cardboard paper producer by recycling wastepaper. Starting from trading scrap paper in the 1980s, she took Nine Dragons public in 2006 and doubled its capacity by 2009.
In 2006, Zhang became the first woman to top China’s rich list and was once the world’s wealthiest self-made woman – earning the nickname “Queen of Trash” for her empire built on recycling.
23. Cindy Mi – VIPKid
Founder & CEO; Education Technology; China (Beijing).
Cindy Mi founded VIPKid in 2013 after seeing the demand for quality English education. She created a platform that connects Chinese children with North American teachers for live online lessons.
By 2018, VIPKid had over 65,000 instructors teaching 500,000+ students across China. Mi’s startup became the world’s largest K-12 online education platform and a valued “unicorn,” while she became a poster child for China’s edtech boom.
A recognized Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum (2018), Cindy also serves on several advisory boards and remains committed to personalized, accessible education for all
24. Virginia Tan – Lean In China & She Loves Tech
Founder and President (Lean In China); Co-founder (She Loves Tech); Social Enterprise & Investment; China (Beijing).
Virginia Tan founded Lean In China, which is now one of China’s largest women’s networks, with over 100,000 members in 100+ universities and cities. She also co-founded She Loves Tech, which hosts the world’s biggest startup competition for women in tech.
Through these platforms, Tan has empowered countless women professionals and entrepreneurs, fostering a more inclusive startup ecosystem in China and beyond.
25. Liu Nan – Mia.com (Miyabaobei)
Founder & CEO; E-commerce (Mother & Baby Products); China (Beijing).
Liu Nan turned a personal need into a billion-dollar business. In 2011, as a new mother, she started a little Taobao shop for imported baby goods and grew it into Mia.com, a leading online retailer for maternity and infant products.
By focusing on safe, high-quality overseas brands, Liu tapped China’s massive “moms and babies” market, scaling her company to unicorn status and earning herself a spot among Forbes China’s 25 top entrepreneurs.
26. Xu Xin (Kathy Xu) – Capital Today
Founder & Managing Partner; Venture Capital; China (Shanghai).
Kathy Xu, dubbed “China’s venture capital queen,” founded Capital Today in 2005 and became an early backer of several Chinese tech giants. Notably, she was the first major investor in JD.com, earning huge returns as it grew into an e-commerce titan.
Xu’s knack for spotting winners has made her one of Asia’s most respected VCs. She continues to finance and mentor high-potential startups in the internet, retail, and fintech sectors.
27. Chen Lihua – Fu Wah International Group
Founder & Chairwoman; Real Estate & Investment; China (Beijing).
Revered as Beijing’s “real estate queen,” Chen Lihua built Fu Wah International from the ground up and became one of China’s richest self-made women. Her company owns prime commercial properties in Beijing and beyond.
In 2016, at age 75, Chen was named China’s richest woman with a net worth of ¥50.5 billion. A high school dropout who rose to great heights, she also established Beijing’s renowned Red Sandalwood Museum, reflecting her passion for Chinese art and culture.
28. Sun Jie (Jane Sun) – Trip.com Group
CEO, Travel Technology, China (Shanghai).
Jane Sun has been CEO of Trip.com (Ctrip) since 2016, steering Asia’s largest online travel agency. Under her leadership, Trip.com expanded globally and embraced AI for customer service. Sun has been recognized among the most powerful women in business for connecting Chinese travelers with the world.
29. Zhang Xin – SOHO China
Co-founder & CEO; Real Estate Development; China (Beijing). Zhang Xin is a prominent real estate entrepreneur who co-founded SOHO China, which developed iconic commercial properties in Beijing and Shanghai.
Often cited as a self-made billionaire, she has been a voice for sustainable urbanization and social responsibility in business.
Ashley Dudarenok is a naturalized Chinese serial entrepreneur who is celebrated by Thinkers50 as a “guru on digital marketing and fast‑evolving trends in China.” She founded Alarice, a China-focused digital marketing agency, and ChoZan, a digital transformation consultancy.
A prolific author, she has written multiple Amazon bestsellers and mini-books on topics such as New Retail, social media, and Chinese consumer behavior.
Recognized with honors like LinkedIn Top Voice in Marketing, Asia‑Pacific Top 25 Innovator, and World’s Top 100 Retail Influencers, she frequently speaks globally and advises Fortune 500 firms on navigating China’s digital ecosystem.
Hong Kong, Macau & Global Chinese Diaspora (Entrepreneurs of Chinese Descent Worldwide)
Lucy Liu co-founded Airwallex in 2015, propelling it to unicorn status by building technology for seamless global payments. Under her leadership, Airwallex became one of Australia’s fastest‑growing fintech unicorns, processing around US$10 billion in annualized transactions, expanding globally across 130 countries.
Liu has earned accolades such as Fintech Australia’s Female Leader of the Year for pioneering low-cost, cross-border financial solutions.
32. Lucy Guo – Scale AI / Passes
Co-founder of Scale AI; Founder & CEO of Passes; Tech (Artificial Intelligence, Creator Economy)
Lucy Guo co-founded Scale AI in 2016 to provide AI data labeling, and her early stake recently made her the world’s youngest self-made female billionaire.
After Scale became a multibillion-dollar company powering AI for firms like OpenAI, Guo launched “Passes” in 2022, a platform for creators. At just 30, she exemplifies entrepreneurial success in tech, leveraging her talent from coding (she was a Thiel Fellow) to boardrooms.
33. Weili Dai – Marvell Technology Group
Co-founder (former President); Semiconductors
Weili Dai co-founded Marvell Technology in 1995 and is renowned as the only woman co-founder of a major global semiconductor firm. As Marvell’s longtime COO and president, she helped grow it into a leading chip maker for consumer electronics.
Dai has been recognized globally: Forbes’ “World’s Most Powerful Women,” Newsweek’s“150 Women Who Shake the World,” and she earned the Gold Stevie Award for Female Entrepreneur of the Year
Tan Hooi Ling co-founded Grab in 2012 while at Harvard Business School. Often working behind the scenes, she was pivotal in developing Grab from a taxi-hailing app into Southeast Asia’s “super app” offering transport, food delivery, and digital payments.
Tan’s strategic and operational expertise helped Grab become so ubiquitous that “you’ll be hard pressed to find anyone in Southeast Asia not familiar with Grab.”
35. Rachel Lim – Love, Bonito
Co-founder; Fashion & E-commerce
Rachel Lim co-founded Love, Bonito, a hugely successful homegrown fashion label focused on Asian women’s fit and style. She started at age 19 with a blog shop in 2005 and rebranded it into Love, Bonito in 2010 during university.
Today it’s a multi-million-dollar brand with stores across Asia and an international online presence. Lim, a Forbes 30 Under 30 alumna, is praised for redefining fashion retail in Southeast Asia by catering to an underserved demographic.
36. Peggy Cherng – Panda Restaurant Group (Panda Express)
Co-founder & Co-CEO; Restaurants
Dr. Peggy Cherng co-founded the Panda Express Chinese restaurant empire in 1983 and has overseen its systems and operations as co-CEO. A former software engineer, she applied tech and data analytics to streamline operations.
Today, Panda Express has over 2,400 locations and $5.9 billion in sales. Cherng is credited with turning Panda into the largest Asian food chain in the U.S., earning her and her husband billionaire status.
37. Pocket Sun – SoGal Ventures
Co-founder & Managing Partner; Venture Capital
Pocket Sun co-founded SoGal Ventures in 2015 at age 24, making it one of the first women-led VC firms focused on empowering diverse entrepreneurs. SoGal Ventures invests in women-founded and minority-founded startups globally.
Sun also started the SoGal global platform to connect and educate female founders. She has since become a prominent advocate for women in venture capital, starring in the documentary Show Her the Money to highlight the challenges and successes of female investors.
38. Aileen Lee – Cowboy Ventures
Founder & Managing Partner; Venture Capital
Aileen Lee founded Cowboy Ventures in 2012, a fund that backs early-stage tech startups, after a decade at Kleiner Perkins. She is famously known for coining the term “unicorn” in 2013 to describe startups valued over $1 billion.
Lee’s analysis brought the term into widespread use, and she has since been celebrated as a thought leader (she made the Time 100 list). Through Cowboy Ventures, she has supported companies like Dollar Shave Club and Guild Education, championing innovation and diversity in tech.
39. Vera Wang – Vera Wang Company
Founder & Fashion Designer; Fashion & Lifestyle
Vera Wang is an iconic fashion entrepreneur who launched her own bridal design business in 1990 after noticing a gap in the wedding gown market. Her name became synonymous with exquisite bridal and evening wear, worn by countless celebrities and brides worldwide.
Over 30+ years, Wang expanded her brand into ready-to-wear, perfumes, and home goods. In 2024, at age 75, she sold her internationally renowned namesake brand, capping a career that transformed the bridal industry and inspired designers of color.
Cher Wang co-founded smartphone maker HTC in 1997 and chipmaker VIA Technologies in 1987, establishing herself as one of tech’s most powerful women. As Chairperson of HTC, she led its rise in the 2000s as a top early Android smartphone brand and now drives its efforts in VR and metaverse technologies.
Wang, a Stanford-educated billionaire, is also known for philanthropy and was hailed by Forbes as one of the world’s most powerful female entrepreneurs, proving instrumental in putting Taiwan’s tech hardware on the global stage.
Eva Chen co-founded Trend Micro in 1988 and has served as CEO since 2005. She was one of the first women to lead a major software security company, growing Trend Micro into a global leader in antivirus and cloud security with offices in 50+ countries.
Chen, known for her technical acumen and evangelism for cybersecurity, has been recognized among the top influencers in tech and is one of the longest-serving CEOs in the cybersecurity industry.
42. Pansy Ho – Shun Tak Holdings & MGM China
Group Executive Chairman, Shun Tak; Co-Chairperson, MGM China
Pansy Ho is a major Hong Kong-Macau business magnate overseeing tourism, property, and transportation ventures. She is Group Executive Chairman and Managing Director of Shun Tak Holdings, a conglomerate founded by her father that dominates Hong Kong–Macau ferries and real estate.
Ho is also Co-Chairperson of MGM China, operating one of Macau’s largest casino resorts. Leveraging her family legacy, she forged partnerships with international players (like MGM Resorts) and has become one of Asia’s richest women. She plays a key role in shaping Macau’s leisure and hospitality landscape.
43. Bonnie Chan – Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing (HKEX)
CEO; Finance (Exchange)
In 2024, Bonnie Chan became the first female CEO of HKEX, Hong Kong’s stock exchange. With 30+ years in global capital markets, she revitalized Hong Kong’s IPO scene – Q2 2024 listings surged, including a US$4 billion IPO of appliance-maker Midea, under her tenure.
Chan’s efforts to enhance market quality and attract international issuers have cemented Hong Kong’s status as a leading financial hub. Her achievement as a female exchange chief is a milestone for gender diversity in finance.
44. Queenie Man – The Project Futurus
Founder & CEO; Social Enterprise (Elderly Care Innovation)
Queenie Man founded The Project Futurus to transform elderly care in Hong Kong, one of the city’s most neglected needs. Through educational programs and consultancy, she advocates “embracing aging” rather than fearing it.
Man has implemented innovative practices in care homes to improve residents’ lives and launched public campaigns (even donning a superhero persona “Captain Softmeal” to promote senior-friendly diets).
By deinstitutionalizing aged care and focusing on the elderly’s dignity and needs, she is elevating the conversation around aging in Hong Kong.
Bowie Lam founded Teen’s Key in 2011 to support young women in Hong Kong’s sex trade after a tragic case exposed the lack of help for them. Teen’s Key provides at-risk teenage girls and sex workers with sexual health education, vocational training, and confidential support services.
Lam’s NGO has reached thousands of girls, challenging stigma and advocating for policy changes. Her work fills a critical gap in social services, ensuring vulnerable young women “have access to information, care… and legal support” in a judgment-free way.
Vriko Yu co-founded ArchiReef, a startup fighting coral reef degradation with innovative 3D-printed terracotta reefs. A marine biologist turned entrepreneur, she helped develop eco-friendly artificial reef tiles that mimic natural coral habitats, boosting coral survival rates.
This technology was first deployed by the Hong Kong government to restore typhoon-damaged reefs and has since been used in Abu Dhabi’s reef restoration efforts. Yu’s work marries tech and conservation, offering hope for marine ecosystems and earning her accolades as a young environmental innovator.
47. Dorothy Lam – Dream Impact
Co-founder & “Chief Catalyst”; Social Innovation Hub
Dorothy Lam co-founded Dream Impact in 2017 as a platform to connect impact investors with worthy social startups. What began as a shared co-working space for changemakers evolved into a full ecosystem supporting 150+ social enterprises and NGOs.
Lam serves as the “chief catalyst,” matching mission-driven startups with funding, corporates, and mentorship. By building Hong Kong’s largest impact community, she has lowered barriers for social entrepreneurs, proving that profit and purpose can go hand in hand.
48. Amanda Pang – Evercare
Co-founder & COO; Healthcare Services
Amanda Pang co-founded Evercare in 2016 to provide on-demand, quality home nursing and caregiving services in Hong Kong. Evercare’s platform connects families to a vetted network of nurses and caregivers available 24/7, filling a vital need in an aging population.
Pang’s focus on professional training and compassionate care has set a new standard for home health services, allowing the elderly and infirm to receive support while remaining in their homes. Evercare has been recognized for social innovation in healthcare and has expanded its services across the region.
49. Christine Tsai – 500 Global (500 Startups)
Co-founder & CEO; Venture Capital
Christine Tsai co-founded 500 Startupsin 2010 and has grown it from a small accelerator into 500 Global, a multi-stage VC firm with over $600 million under management and 2,600+ investments worldwide.
A former Google and YouTube alumna, Tsai was one of the few Asian American women leading a major VC fund. She championed founders from underrepresented regions and backgrounds, helping to globalize Silicon Valley’s startup ethos.
Under her leadership, 500 expanded to 20+ countries. Tsai’s impact is seen in the success of companies like Canva and Grab (part of 500’s portfolio) and in opening doors for entrepreneurs far beyond California.
50. Andrea Jung – Grameen America (former Avon CEO)
President & CEO; Microfinance
Andrea Jung, the former CEO of Avon Products, has now leading Grameen America(the fastest-growing U.S. microfinance nonprofit) as its President and CEO since 2014.
Appointed by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, Jung has overseen Grameen America’s expansion to provide small loans and financial training to over 150,000 low-income women entrepreneurs in the U.S., helping lift them out of poverty.
Widely respected for breaking glass ceilings (she was the first female CEO of Avon and a longtime Fortune 500 power woman), Jung brings corporate savvy to social enterprise.
Each of these 50 inspirational women of Chinese descent has made a significant impact in the last decade – driving innovation, breaking barriers, and leading with purpose in their respective industries. Their stories showcase the diversity of industries and global reach of Chinese women entrepreneurs, from Mainland China to the worldwide diaspora.
FAQ about Top 50 Inspirational Females Changing the World Today
How is global female entrepreneurship trending in 2025?
Women founded nearly 49% of all new businesses in 2024, the highest share in years. New business applications rose 20% year-over-year through mid‑2025, and nearly half of angel investors are women, signaling growing financial engagement and economic empowerment.
How prevalent are female entrepreneurs in China’s digital economy?
In China’s fast-growing e-commerce sector, 55% of online businesses are led by women—a proportion that outpaces many global markets. Brands like Muses only demonstrate how female founders use digital tools and cross-border logistics to scale internationally.
What societal dynamics hinder female entrepreneurship in China?
Cultural norms—rooted in Confucian ideals—reinforce the notion that women should prioritize domestic life. Women often face network exclusion in business settings like banquets or KTV, limiting access to deal-making relationships crucial for scaling ventures.
What motivates women to start businesses globally?
A Global Entrepreneurship Monitor study shows women in low-income regions (e.g., Latin America, Middle East, Africa) pursue entrepreneurship at higher rates—often as a response to job scarcity, not opportunity. Still, many women expect business growth within five years, showing resilience and ambition.
Which young female entrepreneurs are making a big impact today?
Lucy Guo (Passes, Scale AI), Vriko Yu (ArchiReef), and Rachel Lim (Love, Bonito) are young entrepreneurs making a global impact. They use technology, design, and sustainability to shape industries from AI to marine ecology. Their achievements highlight how younger generations are building high-growth companies with clear missions, digital fluency, and social responsibility at their core.
Who are some influential women in technology and AI?
Influential women in tech and AI include Zhang Mo (Yi+), Kathy Gong (WafaGames, ai.Law), Lucy Guo (Scale AI), and Eva Chen (Trend Micro). They lead advancements in computer vision, legal AI, cybersecurity, and creator economy platforms. Their work pushes the boundaries of innovation while promoting diversity in leadership within the global technology sector.
Which Chinese women have built billion-dollar companies?
Several Chinese women lead billion-dollar companies, including Dong Mingzhu (Gree Electric), Grace Wang (Luxshare Precision), Jean Liu (DiDi Chuxing), Lucy Peng (Ant Group), and Cindy Mi (VIPKid). Their companies dominate industries from manufacturing to fintech and education technology. Their leadership showcases China’s growing influence in global markets and the vital role of women entrepreneurs.
What are examples of women leading climate change solutions?
He Qiaonv has pledged billions to wildlife conservation and eco-urban design. Vriko Yu (ArchiReef) pioneers coral reef restoration with 3D-printed tiles. Vanessa Nakate leads African climate justice movements. These women tackle climate change with science-based strategies, large-scale philanthropy, and grassroots activism, proving that environmental leadership is integral to sustainable global development.
Who are the most famous female business leaders in Asia?
Notable names include Dong Mingzhu (China), Tan Hooi Ling (Grab, Southeast Asia), Pansy Ho (MGM China), and Rachel Lim (Love, Bonito). These women dominate industries from tech to real estate and fashion. Their achievements inspire a new wave of Asian entrepreneurship and cement their countries’ positions as regional economic powerhouses.
How have women entrepreneurs changed global e-commerce?
Women like Lucy Peng (Alibaba/Ant Group), Diane Wang (DHgate), Liu Nan (Mia.com), and Miranda Qu (Xiaohongshu) have transformed e-commerce by expanding cross-border trade, building social commerce communities, and personalizing shopping experiences. Their platforms reach millions worldwide, showing how women-led businesses innovate supply chains, consumer engagement, and brand strategies in global online retail.
Which Chinese women are recognized by Forbes and Fortune?
Dong Mingzhu, Jean Liu, Lucy Peng, and Joey Wat frequently appear on Forbes and Fortune power lists. They are celebrated for leading billion-dollar companies, advancing technology, and expanding global market presence. These recognitions highlight their influence not only in China but across industries worldwide, setting standards for corporate leadership excellence.
Millennials Buying Behavior: Gen Y Trends & Insights
Aug 21, 2025
Chinese millennials—roughly those born in the 1980s and 1990s—now constitute a massive cohort (about 320 million people, or 22% of China’s population). Many came of age during China’s rapid economic boom and live predominantly in cities, making millennials buying behavior a defining force in today’s market.
By 2024, China’s urbanization reached about 67%, meaning most millennials are urban dwellers. They span life stages from late 20s to late 30s: many are in mid-career, often balancing work, marriage, and young children, and supporting one or more parents (the so‑called “4-2-1” family structure). As a group, they hold significant spending power—Chinese millennials now account for roughly 28% of all consumer income.
These consumers are more educated and tech-savvy than previous generations. About 70% of Chinese millennials say social media is their main information source.
They tend to earn middle-class incomes (lifting their city lifestyles) but also feel cost pressures; in a recent Deloitte survey, 55% of millennials worldwide reported living paycheck-to-paycheck. Overall, Chinese millennials sit at a pivotal economic moment: urban, connected, and shouldering both family responsibilities and rising expectations.
Key Takeaways
Definition of Chinese millennials: Born in the 1980s and 1990s, this group makes up 22% of the population and drives nearly 28% of consumer income.
Financial pressures and challenges: Rising living costs, slow income growth, and job insecurity shape cautious spending and pragmatic consumption choices.
Shifts in spending patterns: Millennials favor wellness, experiences, durable goods, and sustainable products over flashy, logo-heavy luxury items.
Cultural and lifestyle drivers: National pride fuels interest in domestic brands, resale platforms, and eco-friendly goods, while travel and fitness remain priorities.
Regional and generational contrasts: Tier-1 millennials spend on premium goods, while lower-tier city peers prioritize value; Gen Z shows more impulsive, trend-driven behavior.
Strategic guidance for brands: Companies that align with cultural values, wellness trends, and social commerce platforms can connect meaningfully with millennial consumers.
Contact Ashley Dudarenok to translate these insights into strategies for engaging Chinese millennial buyers.
Spending Drivers & Psychological Themes
Financial Pressures and Slowing Growth
Money stress dominates millennial life. A 2024 Deloitte survey showed 55–56% of millennials live paycheck-to-paycheck, with cost of living as their top concern. In China, the squeeze is sharper:
Household income growth is expected at just 1.4% in 2025.
Consumption growth is projected at 2.3%, nearly flat compared to 2024.
Housing and food prices remain stubbornly high in urban areas.
According to McKinsey, nearly 36% of consumers report job anxiety, and almost half of urban workers view the job market as “challenging or uncertain”. These realities push millennials toward cautious, need-based spending.
Cultural Shifts and Spending Mindset
Economic unease is shaping culture. In early 2025, young Chinese coined the phrase “rat people” (老鼠人) to capture a lifestyle of burnout, fatigue, and endless scrolling. It reflects how many feel stuck in demanding jobs with little reward.
Even wealthier millennials are more careful. McKinsey reports that 72% of affluent consumers are prioritizing essentials and lasting value over flashy, impulsive buys. This shift shows a wider cultural move away from showy consumption.
Together, these forces create a restrained, pragmatic consumer mindset. Millennials are willing to spend but only when purchases align with financial reality, cultural values, and a sense of future security.
What Millennials Buy: Shifting Patterns & Categories
Chinese millennials are directing more of their budgets toward experiences, wellness, and quality goods. Travel, dining, fitness, and outdoor recreation all recorded double-digit growth as China’s post-COVID recovery continued. Wellness spending is also surging. Sales of vitamins, supplements, and fitness services reflect a stronger focus on health and stress relief.
In practice, this means more nights out, frequent vacations, gym memberships, and cultural events. Millennials are not just purchasing products; they are buying experiences that enhance daily life.
Durable Goods Still Matter
Alongside experiences, durable goods remain a priority. About 45% of high-end electronics and vehicle buyers in China are millennials. Many invest in smartphones, laptops, and appliances, often upgrading to premium models as income allows.
Big-ticket purchases also carry weight. McKinsey reports that millennials continue to allocate spending to homes, renovations, and cars. When they do spend, they aim for life-upgrading items.
Cooling on Status, Rising Value Mindset
Trendy, fast-fashion items are losing appeal. Instead, millennials choose brands with durability and resale value. Classic bags, quality shoes, and clean beauty products are preferred over disposable fashion or cheap cosmetics.
Preferred Categories & Lifestyles
Chinese Gen Y shows distinct product and lifestyle preferences:
Tech & Electronics
Millennials grew up in the digital boom. They spend heavily on smartphones, laptops, smart-home gadgets, and new-energy vehicles. In fact, they account for nearly half of buyers in many premium electronics and automotive segments. They expect cutting-edge features (AI-enabled appliances, EVs) and are quick adopters of new tech.
Health & Wellness
Health is a top priority post-pandemic. Many Millennials allocate budgets to fitness memberships, health foods, supplements, and higher-quality healthcare services. Wellness routines (yoga, personal care) and health-monitoring devices are popular.
Travel & Experiences
Experiences outrank goods. Millennials favor spending on travel, dining out, and cultural activities. Now that restrictions are lifted, many have prioritized holiday and family trips. Cultural or experiential purchases (concerts, education courses, leisure) also attract them more than gadgets alone.
Beauty & Personal Care
Skincare and personal grooming remain big spend areas. China’s beauty market ($67B) thrives on younger consumers seeking premium skincare and cosmetics. Chinese Millennials, including the so-called “spicy moms,” buy high-quality cosmetics and even luxury baby products for their children.
Food & Gourmet
Millennials enjoy premium food experiences—organic foods, foreign snacks, fine dining, and food delivery. Many order higher-end meal kits or imported ingredients. The “Singles Economy” means there’s more discretionary spending on gourmet meals (shared socially via apps like Xiaohongshu). At the same time, budget-food trends (e.g., home cooking challenges) coexist alongside it.
Pet Care
Pet ownership is a defining lifestyle trend. With marriage rates down, many Millennials become pet parents. Over 200 million pets were recorded in China by 2025. Notably, 88% of Chinese pet owners are women, and half of those are Millennials. This “pet economy” means soaring demand for premium pet food, healthcare, and accessories among Gen Y.
Green Consumption
Eco-consciousness is rising. Young Chinese increasingly favor sustainable brands and energy-efficient products. For example, trade-in subsidies on appliances spiked sales of energy-saving models by 100–200%.
Electric vehicles (NEVs) are especially popular—accounting for 40.9% of new car sales in 2024. Many Millennials buy second-hand goods: over half of young consumers use resale platforms. Overall, “green” values (recycling, low-waste diets, NEVs) influence Millennial choices.
In sum, millennial spending in China has pivoted to long-term value and wellness. They buy experiences that improve life quality and goods that last. Younger brands or categories built around health and sustainable lifestyles (e.g., reusable products, eco-friendly foods) have an edge, since they fit millennials’ desire to spend on well-being rather than ostentation.
Luxury Consumption & Value Expectations
Chinese millennials are moving away from conspicuous luxury. The concept of “luxury shame” reflects their discomfort with flashy logos or impulsive purchases. Instead, they favor products that hold long-term value, such as iconic bags, timeless watches, or items with strong resale potential.
Even among the affluent, the mindset is changing. Surveys show that 72% of wealthy consumers in China are prioritizing essentials and enduring quality over impulse-driven luxury. Prestige now lies in subtlety and durability rather than ostentation.
Rise of Domestic Luxury and Alternatives
Millennials are also fueling the growth of domestic luxury brands. Recent surveys highlight:
56% of Chinese luxury spenders plan to increase purchases from homegrown brands
73% of luxury-watch buyers say they are likely to buy Chinese-made watches.
This is part of the “China Chic” (国潮) movement, where pride in national heritage drives demand for niche local fashion houses, jewelry labels, and culturally inspired designs.
New Channels for Smart Shopping
To maximize value, millennials are turning to alternative channels:
Secondhand platforms: China’s resale luxury market is projected to surpass $30 billion by 2025. Platforms like Xianyu and Dewu thrive on authenticated pre-owned goods. Hashtags tied to secondhand luxury on Xiaohongshu have attracted billions of views, signaling mass adoption.
Duty-free and overseas shopping: Travel reopening has renewed demand for buying abroad, where prices can be lower even after tax refunds.
A More Conscious Luxury Market
In sum, Chinese millennials still desire premium products but approach them with restraint and pragmatism. They look for:
Enduring quality and craftsmanship
Cultural relevance through domestic brands
Value via resale or overseas purchases
Luxury consumption is no longer about being seen. For millennials, it is about making smart, meaningful choices that align with financial caution and cultural pride.
Regional Differences: Tier-1 vs. Tier-3+ Cities
Millennial behavior in China shifts sharply by city tier.
Tier-3 and Tier-4 Millennials (smaller cities) are more optimistic than their Tier-1 and Tier-2 peers. Surveys show that about 75% of lower-tier Millennials feel confident about China’s economy, compared with only 65% in top-tier cities. This optimism comes from lower living costs, lighter debts, and cheaper housing. Many also work in stable government or corporate jobs, which boosts disposable income.
Tier-1 and Tier-2 Millennials (Shanghai, Beijing, etc.) are the country’s consumer “power centers.” They account for roughly 25% of China’s current consumer spending. While their incomes are higher, they face steep costs for mortgages, childcare, and daily living. Marketers treat them as trendsetters, since their preferences often spread nationwide.
The contrast is clear:
Tier-1 Millennials trade up within categories, buying premium imports, luxury skincare, and niche lifestyle services.
Tier-3 Millennials aspire upward but spend more selectively. They are price-sensitive but represent a fast-growing middle class.
Looking ahead, 70% of China’s new affluent consumers will come from Tier-3 and below. This makes smaller cities a critical growth market. Global brands often tailor products and marketing differently for each tier, balancing prestige in big cities with value-driven offers in emerging markets.
Digital Engagement & Shopping Channels
Chinese millennials are deeply embedded in digital ecosystems. Platforms like WeChat, Douyin, and RedNote shape the entire shopping journey, from discovery to final purchase. Livestreaming in particular has exploded, blending entertainment with instant buying opportunities.
In 2023, livestream commerce in China reached about ¥4.92 trillion (~US$737 billion), and surveys show that 81% of Chinese consumers have purchased through livestream shopping.
These livestreams are more than sales events. Hosts demonstrate products, answer questions, and create urgency through limited-time offers. By 2024, over 727 million people were regular livestream viewers, highlighting just how mainstream this format has become.
Influence and Platform Roles
Trust and peer influence define millennial decision-making. KOLs (Key Opinion Leaders) and micro-influencers are often more persuasive than traditional advertising. In fact, influencer marketing spend in China was expected to reach $16.7 billion in 2024.
A casual recommendation on Douyin or Xiaohongshu can outweigh a polished TV campaign. WeChat also anchors daily commerce with mini-programs, group-buying, and integrated payments.
How platforms shape millennial shopping:
WeChat: used by 87% of Chinese internet users, driving purchases through mini-programs, payments, and social groups
Douyin: short videos and livestreams spark product discovery and impulse buys
Xiaohongshu (RED): peer reviews and lifestyle inspiration guide aspirational purchases
The millennial path to purchase often crosses these platforms. A gadget might first appear in a Douyin video, be researched through Xiaohongshu reviews, and ultimately be bought on WeChat. This seamless flow shows how social trust and digital ecosystems converge to shape their consumption.
For brands, the lesson is clear: integrate authentically into these channels. Those that invest in credible KOL partnerships, host engaging livestreams, and foster peer-driven conversations stand the best chance of converting millennial shoppers.
Gen Y vs Gen Z: Key Consumption Contrasts
Chinese millennials (Gen Y) and Gen Z are often discussed together, but their consumption styles reveal sharp differences. Millennials, mostly between 26 and 35 years old, favor purchases that balance stability, wellness, and emotional restraint. Gen Z, now in their early 20s, tends to be more impulsive, experimental, and eager to express identity through consumption.
Millennials came of age during rapid growth but face today’s financial pressures. They look for long-term value, wellness products, and heritage brands that feel reliable. A skincare investment, a classic fashion item, or a family-focused purchase fits their mindset.
Gen Z, raised in a fully digital-first era, thrives on personalization, novelty, and mobility. They embrace limited editions, viral product trends, and services that emphasize independence and self-expression.
Different Priorities, Different Patterns
These contrasts shape how brands must approach each group. Millennials respond to heritage storytelling, proven quality, and emotional depth. Gen Z gravitates to fast-moving content, brand collaborations, and hyper-personalized experiences. Their expectations are not only different, but sometimes opposite.
Key contrasts include:
Millennials (26–35): wellness-driven, cautious with spending, loyal to heritage or authentic brands
Gen Z (21–25): impulsive, novelty-seeking, quick to switch brands for personalization
Millennials: allocate budgets to health, home, travel, and stability-enhancing purchases
Gen Z: channel money into gadgets, trend-driven fashion, limited collaborations, and mobility services
In short, millennials look for security and balance, while Gen Z embraces individual expression and experimentation. Brands that adjust their strategies to these distinct mindsets can connect meaningfully with both generations without blending them into a single audience.
Marketing Implications: Strategy Roadmap for Brands
Reaching Chinese millennials requires more than standard marketing playbooks. This generation shops cautiously, values wellness, and blends digital interaction with real-world experiences. They balance cultural pride with practical financial choices. Brands that understand these drivers can design campaigns that feel both relevant and authentic.
Chinese consumers are also redefining value. Many prefer domestic luxury brands under the “China Chic” (国潮) movement, while the secondhand luxury market is projected to exceed $30 billion by 2025. Add to this the dominance of livestream commerce, with 81% of Chinese shoppers buying via livestreams, and the importance of aligning strategy to millennial realities becomes clear.
Shaping Strategies That Resonate
To succeed, brands need to deliver more than products. They must offer experiences, trust, and cultural alignment. This requires careful choices in how they present themselves across digital platforms and in-store channels.
Strategic priorities include:
Local storytelling and China Chic alignment: leverage national pride and cultural references to build emotional connections
Sustainable value propositions: highlight longevity, resale programs, and eco-friendly practices to appeal to value-conscious buyers
Social commerce integration: build credible KOL partnerships, livestream campaigns, and peer-led communities to meet shoppers where they engage
Wellness-driven experiences: connect with millennials through health, mindfulness, and lifestyle benefits rather than product features alone
Each of these areas reflects deeper generational values. Millennials expect authenticity, cultural respect, and practical benefits in every purchase. A brand that combines these factors not only drives sales but builds loyalty in a market where consumers increasingly demand proof of value.
Turn Millennial Insights into Your Strategy with Ashley Dudarenok
Chinese Millennials are reshaping markets—cutting back on status buys, fueling wellness and experience spending, driving the rise of domestic luxury, and dominating livestream commerce. These shifts aren’t just consumer trivia—they determine which global brands thrive in China’s next decade.
Ashley Dudarenok helps executives and investors act on exactly these changes. Through her keynotes, executive workshops, and China learning expeditions, she unpacks:
Engaging Keynotes: Dive deep into the drivers behind modern Chinese consumers—customer centricity, livestream commerce, social‑plus models. Ashley has delivered these themes globally for brands like Coca‑Cola, Disney, Shiseido, and BMW.
Masterclasses & Workshops: She leads immersive 2-day sessions on China’s new retail ecosystems, social commerce, AI, and OMO strategies—equipping your team with playbooks tailored for Gen Y realities.
Consulting, Tech Tours & Learning Expeditions: Through ChoZan and Alarice, Ashley guides Fortune 500 brands to “learn from China” and localize strategies for digital transformation in the world’s most competitive market.
Credibility & Authority: Named one of the World’s Top 100 Retail Influencers and a “Guru on fast‑evolving trends in China” by Thinkers50, she’s also part of Alibaba, JD, and Pinduoduo’s elite advisor groups.
FAQs: Chinese Millennials Buying Behavior (Gen Y) — 2025
Why is secondhand luxury booming among Chinese millennials?
Chinese millennials are increasingly embracing secondhand luxury as a cost-effective way to balance social status and value. Driven by a broader economic slowdown and growing financial caution, the secondhand luxury market has surged 35% in 2025, especially via platforms like ZZER and Super Zhuanzhuan.
What is “Guochao 2.0” and why does it matter?
“Guochao 2.0” represents a mature wave of pride in domestic Chinese brands. Millennials are drawn to products that authentically blend cultural storytelling, quality craftsmanship, and modern design—favoring brands that speak to identity and heritage over foreign labels.
How fast is millennial consumption growth in China?
Millennial-driven spending is held back by modest income growth—only 1.4% is forecasted for 2025—and overall consumption growth is expected at 2.3%, roughly flat from 2024. These increments reflect cautious but stable spending amid economic uncertainty.
How are luxury spending habits changing among Chinese millennials?
Younger consumers are redefining luxury. Motivated by values and quality, millennials increasingly favor sustainable, culturally relevant, and emotionally rich purchases. The “luxury shame” trend discourages flashy consumption and nudges brands toward authenticity and low-key craftsmanship.
How do Chinese millennials differ from Gen Z in spending?
Chinese Millennials (Gen Y) favor stability, long-term value, and trusted platforms in their purchases, while Gen Z leans toward novelty, customization, and fast-moving trends—requiring distinct marketing messages for each group.
What role do mobile wallets play in millennial buying habits?
Mobile payments are ubiquitous. Platforms like Alipay and WeChat Pay now offer deeply integrated services that go beyond transactions, delivering rewards, social commerce links, and seamless cross-border usage.
Why is personalization and sustainability vital to Gen Y?
Younger Chinese demand customized, meaningful goods that reflect identity and values. Personalization, cultural heritage, and sustainability are powerful drivers of brand engagement and loyalty among Millennials.
Smart thrift is becoming fashionable—driven by Millennials’ desire for value, minimal waste, and functionality. As emotional and financial pressures rise, frugal, resourceful consumption resonates more strongly.
Why are Millennials important for China’s consumer growth?
As the first economically liberated generation, Millennials now drive much of China’s consumer landscape. Rising from urban centers and shaping trends, their values-based purchasing is shaping future brand strategies.
How are Millennials integrating digital and social purchasing?
Millennials shop across digital ecosystems: discovering via short videos (like Douyin), validating through content platforms (like RED), and purchasing seamlessly via WeChat—all in one connected journey.
How do identity and cultural pride influence Millennial purchases?
Cultural expression via brands (like Guochao fashion or heritage motifs) is more than aesthetic—it’s a means for Millennials to show pride, align with cultural narratives, and stand out with national identity.
How does financial stress affect Millennial choices?
While many Millennials still aspire to luxury, their purchases are increasingly strategic. Rising living costs and income stagnation are leading them to value longevity, discount-savvy products, and avoid impulsive luxury gambles.
Top 15 Female Keynote Speakers on Leadership and Innovation
Aug 15, 2025
In 2025, leadership and innovation are being redefined by rapid AI adoption, shifting global economies, and growing demands for purpose-driven business. Organizations are seeking keynote speakers who can inspire and deliver actionable strategies for thriving in this climate.
This list spotlights 15 exceptional female keynote speakers — seven based in China and eight from across Asia and the world — whose expertise spans technology, sustainability, retail, government, and beyond.
Each brings a proven record of leading change, shaping industries, and guiding audiences through the challenges and opportunities of today’s interconnected world.
Leading Female Keynote Speakers in China & Across the Globe
China’s fast-paced growth and tech innovation have produced world-class thought leaders. These seven women, including entrepreneurs, technologists, and business pioneers, are based in China and offer rich expertise in leadership and innovation.
1. Ashley Dudarenok – Digital China Marketing & Innovation Expert
Bio & Achievements
Ashley Dudarenok is a leading authority and keynote speaker on China’s fast-evolving digital economy, consumer trends, and retail innovation.
She is the founder of Alarice (a China marketing agency) and ChoZan (a digital consultancy), and she advises Fortune 500 companies and global brands on how to succeed in the Chinese market.
Key career highlights include:
Named a “guru on digital marketing and fast-evolving trends in China” by Thinkers50
Selected for Alibaba’s Global Influencer Entourage (2017) and JD.com’s Global China Experts Group (2018)
Delivered 300+ keynotes across Asia, Europe, and North America
Featured in media including BBC, Forbes, SCMP, and Campaign Asia
Impact & Keynote Topics
Ashley bridges East–West business knowledge, making China’s complex digital ecosystem clear and actionable for global audiences. Her expertise spans China’s “new retail,” e-commerce platforms, AI-driven personalization, and shifting consumer behaviors.
Her keynote themes include:
Customer-centric digital transformation: lessons from China’s tech giants
The future of retail: integrating online, offline, and social commerce
Emerging consumer trends: Gen Z, sustainability, and live commerce
Innovation strategy: how to apply China’s speed and adaptability to global markets
Ashley is known for combining high-energy delivery with immediately actionable takeaways. She regularly shares case studies from brands like Coca-Cola, Disney, and Shiseido, showing how they adapted to China’s unique digital environment.
As a sought-after advisor and speaker in 2024–2025, Ashley helps companies reimagine their strategies using China’s innovations as a blueprint for global success. Audiences consistently rate her sessions as clear, inspiring, and packed with insights they can apply right away.
2. Jennifer Zhu Scott – AI Investor and Tech Visionary
Bio & Achievements
Jennifer (Jen) Zhu Scott is a leading voice in artificial intelligence applications, blockchain, and the digital economy. She is the founding partner of IN Capital, a deep-tech investment firm based in China.
Her career highlights include:
Named to Forbes’ World’s Top 50 Women in Tech (2018)
Listed among Fortune’s Most Influential Businesswomen in China (2021)
Co-founded one of China’s first education startups
Former Head of Business Development, APAC, at Thomson Reuters
Chair of The Commons Project Foundation, advancing global health data interoperability during COVID-19.
Impact & Keynote Topics
Jen is one of the few women from mainland China on the global tech keynote stage, offering a rare East–West perspective on innovation. Her presentations simplify complex technologies such as AI, cryptocurrency, and China’s digital currency strategies, showing their real-world business impact.
She has addressed audiences at the World Economic Forum, co-chaired the Fortune Global Tech Forum, and reached over 3 million viewers with her TED Talk “Why you should get paid for your data.”
In her talks, Jen often focuses on:
Bridging innovation between East and West
How Chinese tech advances in AI and fintech are reshaping markets
Strategic leadership in the AI era
Building inclusive and ethical tech governance
Audiences leave with practical strategies for fostering innovation while navigating the evolving global tech landscape.
3. Sharon Gai – Retail Innovation & AI Advocate
Bio & Achievements
Sharon Gai is a globally recognized expert in AI, e-commerce, and retail innovation, best known for her work at Alibaba Group. As a product leader, she helped global brands scale through consumer-to-manufacturer (C2M) strategies, using big data, AI, and advanced supply chain technology.
Career milestones include:
Named a RETHINK Retail Top Retail Influencer
Recognized as a LinkedIn Top Voice in 2024
Author of Ecommerce Reimagined
Degrees from McGill and Columbia University, combining technical expertise with global business insight
Impact & Keynote Topics
Fluent in both Western and Chinese retail ecosystems, Sharon delivers practical insights on AI-driven retail transformation. She has spoken at TEDx, Singularity University, and corporate events for UBS, Deloitte, Walmart, LVMH, and Nestlé.
Her keynotes often explore:
Cultural e-commerce and market adaptation
Future of AI in retail and supply chain
Real-world lessons from Alibaba’s ecosystem
Efficiency strategies: doing “more with less” using AI
Sharon enriches her talks with case studies like live-stream shopping and smart logistics. As host of Alibaba’s B2B Breakthrough podcast, she stays ahead of emerging trends, ensuring her presentations are current, actionable, and easy for diverse audiences to follow.
4. Edith Yeung – Venture Capitalist & China Tech Trendspotter
Bio & Achievements
Edith Yeung is a prominent venture capitalist and technology executive recognized for her deep insights into China’s internet and startup landscape. She is a partner at 500 Startups (Greater China), where she has invested in over 40 companies across AI, blockchain, and mobile technology.
Notable achievements include:
Creator of the China Internet Report, a leading resource on Chinese digital trends
Former general partner at Proof of Capital, a blockchain-focused VC fund
Leadership roles at Sequoia Capital-backed Dolphin Browser, Siebel, and Autodesk
Named by Inc. magazine as one of the “Silicon Valley investors you must know.”
Impact & Keynote Topics
Bilingual and culturally fluent, Edith offers audiences a cross-border view of tech innovation. She frequently speaks on how China’s digital advances—from super-app ecosystems to fintech innovation—are reshaping global business.
Her speaking portfolio includes:
Global Mobile Internet Conference (GMIC) and other major tech forums
Keynotes on China’s unique consumer behavior and digital platforms
Strategic insights for companies entering or partnering with the Chinese market
Edith’s keynotes often address:
Why China’s online population behaves differently from Western users
What global companies can learn from Chinese giants like Alibaba and Tencent
Opportunities and risks in blockchain, AI, and mobile-first innovation
Drawing on her investment portfolio and operational experience, she delivers actionable strategies for staying competitive in fast-changing tech sectors. Her talks are praised for blending market data, startup case studies, and candid lessons from both successes and failures.
5. Peggy Liu – Sustainability Innovator & “Green Goddess of China”
Bio & Achievements
Peggy Liu is an internationally recognized environmentalist and social entrepreneur driving China’s transition to a sustainable future. She is the Chairperson of JUCCCE (Joint US–China Collaboration on Clean Energy) and has been leading cross-border initiatives since 2007.
Career highlights include:
Nicknamed the “Green Goddess of China” by Chinese media
World Economic Forum Young Global Leader
Recipient of the Hillary Step Award for climate leadership
Former MIT-trained engineer, McKinsey consultant, and Silicon Valley entrepreneur
She has educated over a thousand Chinese officials on sustainable city design, smart grids, and energy efficiency, helping position China as a world leader in clean tech.
Impact & Keynote Topics
Peggy specializes in societal-scale change and the leadership strategies required to achieve it. Her talks draw from her hands-on work solving China’s most urgent environmental challenges, including pollution, drought, and urbanization.
Her keynote themes often include:
Tornado Leadership: mobilizing diverse stakeholders for impact
Sustainable consumerism and eco-friendly innovation
Building resilient, future-ready cities
Women’s leadership in sustainability and climate action
Through stories of large-scale collaborations – such as the first U.S.–China clean energy dialog – Peggy shows how governments, businesses, and communities can work together to achieve ambitious environmental goals.
Her presentations are known for being visionary yet practical, inspiring audiences to see sustainability as both a responsibility and an opportunity for innovation.
6. Zhang Xin – Real Estate Entrepreneur & Visionary Leader
Bio & Achievements
Zhang Xin is one of China’s most acclaimed self-made business leaders, celebrated for reshaping Beijing’s skyline through bold urban innovation. She co-founded SOHO China, serving as CEO and spearheading projects that blend avant-garde architecture with commercial success.
Key milestones include:
Introduced the “Small Office/Home Office” (SOHO) concept to Beijing’s property market
Developed landmark projects such as SOHO New Town and Galaxy SOHO
Featured on Forbes and Fortune lists of the Most Powerful Women in Business
Rose from factory work as a teenager to earning a master’s in Development Economics from Cambridge University
Impact & Keynote Topics
Zhang’s career illustrates creativity, resilience, and market foresight. She has transformed traditional real estate by integrating design excellence, community focus, and business strategy.
Her speaking topics often cover:
Innovating within traditional industries
Scaling a startup into a publicly listed company
Women’s leadership in large-scale enterprises
Balancing profitability with design and sustainability
Drawing on her journey from poverty to corporate leadership, Zhang shares candid lessons on overcoming challenges, breaking norms, and leading with vision. Her talks resonate with audiences seeking inspiration on entrepreneurial growth, cross-cultural business strategy, and urban innovation.
7. ShaoLan Hsueh – Creator of Chineasy, TED Speaker & Cultural Innovator
Bio & Achievements
ShaoLan Hsueh is a Taiwan-born, London-based entrepreneur, author, and designer. She is the founder of Chineasy, a visual Chinese language learning system introduced in her 2013 TED Talk.
Career highlights include:
Author of four best-selling software books in Taiwan
Co-founder of internet company pAsia, backed by Intel, Goldman Sachs, and Citi
Founder of Caravel Capital, advising tech startups
Named among the Sunday Times’ “Leading Ladies in Tech” (2015)
Winner of Wallpaper*’s “Life-Enhancer of the Year” and multiple D&AD design awards
Chineasy products include books in 19 languages, flashcards, and a mobile app recognized by Apple as an Editor’s Choice and Apple Design Awards finalist.
Impact & Keynote Topics
ShaoLan combines design, language, and culture to make Chinese more accessible to global audiences. Her TED Talks, “Learn to read Chinese … with ease!” and “The Chinese Zodiac Explained”, have been viewed millions of times.
Her keynote themes include:
Bridging Eastern and Western cultures through design
Using visual storytelling for language learning
Cultural literacy and symbolism
Building educational brands for global markets
She developed Chineasy by breaking down thousands of Chinese characters into simple visual components and collaborating with designer Noma Bar. This method has been adopted by learners, educators, and cultural institutions worldwide.
8. Christine Zhenwei Qiang – Global Director of Digital Transformation, World Bank
Bio & Achievements
Dr. Christine Zhenwei Qiang is the World Bank’s Global Director of Digital Development. She leads programs to expand broadband access, strengthen cybersecurity, and promote AI and sustainable digital policies in developing countries.
Key career highlights include:
Over 25 years at the World Bank in ICT, investment climate, and competitiveness policy
Editor of the Global Information and Communications Reports (2006, 2009) and Global Investment Competitiveness Reports (2017–18, 2019–20)
Contributor to the Digital Trends and Policies Reports (2023, 2025)
Holds a Ph.D. in Economics and an M.S. in Computer Science and Engineering from Johns Hopkins University
Impact & Keynote Topics
Christine is a leading voice on digital inclusion and sustainable technology adoption. She works with governments and private sector partners to design policies and investments that close digital gaps and foster economic growth.
Her keynote themes include:
Broadband expansion and inclusive digital infrastructure
AI’s role in sustainable development
Cybersecurity and digital governance frameworks
Strategies for bridging gender and geographic divides in technology
Christine’s sessions offer data-driven insights and practical policy recommendations, making her a trusted speaker for audiences seeking to align innovation with inclusive, long-term development goals.
9. Jean Liu (Liu Qing) – Transformative Tech Leader in Mobility
Bio & Achievements
Jean Liu is the President of DiDi Chuxing, the world’s largest mobile transportation platform. She played a central role in DiDi’s rapid expansion, including the acquisition of Uber China in 2016.
Career highlights include:
Oversaw operations serving 400+ cities and hundreds of millions of users
Forged global ride-hailing partnerships to extend DiDi’s reach
Former Managing Director at Goldman Sachs Asia
Named a World Economic Forum Young Global Leader and featured in Forbes and Fortune rankings of influential businesswomen
Impact & Keynote Topics
Jean is recognized for leading innovation at scale while building an inclusive corporate culture. She has guided DiDi through fast growth, industry disruption, and complex regulatory challenges.
Her keynote themes often include:
Technology’s role in solving urban challenges like congestion and pollution
AI and data in transforming mobility and improving quality of life
Creating flexible employment opportunities for millions
Empathetic leadership and diversity in tech
Jean shares personal insights on balancing bold vision with ethical responsibility, highlighting how transportation can be both a business and a public good. Her talks inspire audiences to see leadership as a force for positive, large-scale impact.
10. Carol Z. (Ying) Yu – Media Innovator & Education Leader
Bio & Achievements
Carol Yu is a former senior editor and host of the Phoenix TV interview series “Visionaries,” where she focused on tech, health, education, and societal change—earning awards for business journalism.
She is now an Associate Dean at Shenzhen InnoX Academy, where she leads innovation and entrepreneurship education and has helped launch over 200 startups.
Impact & Keynote Topics
Carol blends media storytelling with practical startup mentorship. Her keynote themes often include:
Communicating complex innovation stories through media
Cultivating entrepreneurial ecosystems through education
Trends in deep tech and societal transformation via storytelling
Her unique perspective bridges the worlds of media, education, and innovation, perfect for audiences seeking insight into how narrative shapes the future of tech and society.
11. Indra Nooyi – Former PepsiCo CEO Driving Purposeful Innovation
Bio & Achievements
Indra Nooyi is an iconic global business leader who served as Chairman and CEO of PepsiCo from 2006 to 2019, overseeing one of the world’s largest food and beverage companies.
She was the architect of “Performance with Purpose,” a strategy combining sustainable growth with healthier products, reduced environmental impact, and community empowerment.
Career highlights include:
Grew PepsiCo’s revenues by 80% and total shareholder return by 162%, outperforming the S&P 500
One of the first women and women of color to lead a Fortune 50 company
Yale MBA and recipient of 15 honorary degrees
Inducted into the National Women’s Hall of Fame and the American Academy of Arts & Sciences
Board member at Amazon and leadership mentor at West Point
Author of the bestselling memoir My Life in Full
Impact & Keynote Topics
Nooyi’s talks resonate with C-suite executives and emerging leaders alike. She combines strategic insight with authentic storytelling. She is known for leading PepsiCo through industry disruption and innovation while staying committed to social responsibility.
Her keynote themes include:
Transformative leadership in a fast-evolving, interconnected world
Purpose-driven innovation: aligning profit with positive societal impact
Inclusive leadership and building a pipeline for women leaders
Decision-making under uncertainty, drawing from crisis leadership experience
Audiences value her practical lessons on innovation in large enterprises, balancing global strategy with local market needs, and leading with vision and empathy. Nooyi’s message—that “doing well by doing good” drives long-term success—remains highly relevant for organizations in 2024–2025.
Sheryl Sandberg is a prominent technology executive, author, and advocate for women’s leadership. From 2008 to 2022, she was the Chief Operating Officer of Facebook (Meta), scaling the advertising business into a global powerhouse and becoming Facebook’s first female board member.
Key career highlights include:
Founder of LeanIn.Org, supporting over 50,000 circles in 184 countries
Author of the bestselling Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead (2013)
Named among Fortune’s “50 Most Powerful Women in Business” and Time’s “100 Most Influential People”
Former Google executive and U.S. Treasury official
One of the few self-made female billionaires in tech
Impact & Keynote Topics
Sandberg is known for blending data-driven insight with personal storytelling. Her 2010 TED Talk, “Why we have too few women leaders,” has been viewed millions of times and continues to influence global gender equity conversations.
Her keynote themes include:
Building inclusive workplaces and high-performance teams
Encouraging women to “lean in” to leadership opportunities
The role of mentorship and sponsorship in career advancement
Ethical leadership in tech and managing growth during disruption
Sandberg frequently draws from her own experiences—balancing work and motherhood, leading through controversy, and navigating Silicon Valley—to illustrate leadership with empathy and resilience.
She also adapts her message to current challenges, addressing racial equity and COVID-19’s impact on women in the workplace.
13. Dr. Fei-Fei Li – Pioneering AI Scientist and Ethical AI Advocate
Bio & Achievements
Dr. Fei-Fei Li is a leading computer scientist and AI researcher, credited with breakthroughs in computer vision. She is a Professor at Stanford University and co-director of the Stanford Human-Centered AI Institute.
Key career highlights include:
Co-creator of ImageNet, a dataset that catalyzed modern deep learning in AI
Former Vice President and Chief Scientist of AI at Google Cloud
Co-founder and Chair of AI4ALL, a nonprofit expanding diversity in AI
Named to Fortune’s “World’s Greatest Leaders” and Time’s “Most Influential People in AI”
Recipient of the 2019 Technical Leadership Abie Award from AnitaB.org
Impact & Keynote Topics
Fei-Fei Li blends technical expertise with ethical vision. She explains AI’s potential while addressing its risks and the importance of diverse voices in its development.
Her keynote themes include:
Human-centered AI design and ethical innovation
AI applications in healthcare, education, and sustainability
The importance of diversity and inclusion in tech leadership
Building bridges between research and real-world solutions
Audiences value her ability to make complex AI concepts clear and actionable, while highlighting the responsibility of leaders to shape technology for societal benefit.
14. Arianna Huffington – Media Mogul and Wellness Tech Entrepreneur
Bio & Achievements
Arianna Huffington is a globally recognized media entrepreneur and wellness advocate. She co-founded The Huffington Post in 2005 and has built it into one of the world’s most influential online news platforms.
Under her leadership, HuffPost won the first-ever Pulitzer Prize for an online outlet and expanded internationally before being acquired by AOL in 2011.
Key career highlights include:
Founder and CEO of Thrive Global, focused on ending burnout through behavior change science
Author of 15 books, including Thrive and The Sleep Revolution
Named to Time’s “100 Most Influential People” and Forbes’ “Most Powerful Women” lists
Chairs the Thrive Global/OpenAI initiative on AI-driven health behavior change
Economics graduate from Cambridge University and former president of its Union debating society
Impact & Keynote Topics
Huffington emphasizes that well-being is a driver of sustainable success. Drawing from research and personal experience, she advises leaders to build organizational cultures that prioritize resilience, creativity, and mental health.
Her keynote themes include:
Linking employee well-being to performance and innovation
“Microsteps” for improving decision-making, focus, and productivity
Leadership in uncertain times and avoiding the 24/7 hustle trap
Harnessing technology, including AI, to enhance human potential
Insights on digital disruption and entrepreneurship from her media career
Known for blending data-backed insights with practical advice, Huffington leaves audiences with strategies to create healthier, more innovative workplaces.
15. Halla Tómasdóttir – President of Iceland & Advocate for Principled Leadership
Bio & Achievements
Halla Tómasdóttir is the current President of Iceland (elected in 2024) and a global advocate for values-based leadership. She was previously the first female CEO of the Iceland Chamber of Commerce and co-founder of Auður Capital, a financial services firm built on principles of gender balance, transparency, and sustainability.
Key career highlights include:
CEO and Chief Change Catalyst of The B Team, a nonprofit promoting responsible business practices
Guided Auður Capital through Iceland’s 2008 financial collapse using sustainable finance principles
Named by Newsweek among “150 Women Who Shake the World”
Featured in The New Yorker as a “Living Emoji of Sincerity”
Impact & Keynote Topics
Halla is known for her principled and inclusive leadership style, blending business expertise with a commitment to social and environmental responsibility. She has delivered keynotes at TEDWomen, the World Economic Forum, the United Nations, and major corporate leadership summits.
Her keynote themes include:
Values-led leadership in business and government
Gender balance as a driver of stronger decision-making
Building trust during crises and organizational change
Aligning leadership with sustainability and climate goals
She offers candid, research-backed insights that inspire leaders to act with integrity while delivering measurable results.
Book Ashley Dudarenok for Your Next Event
If your audience needs an insider’s view of China’s digital future, Ashley Dudarenok delivers unmatched expertise and energy. Her keynotes decode China’s fast-moving consumer market, emerging retail models, and innovation strategies that global brands can apply right now.
Whether you’re hosting a leadership summit, marketing forum, or corporate training, her sessions leave participants with clear strategies and fresh perspectives.
Secure Ashley for your next event and give your audience practical tools to navigate and lead in the world’s most dynamic digital economy.
FAQs about Female Keynote Speakers
Why should I consider booking a female keynote speaker for leadership and innovation events?
Female speakers bring diverse perspectives, often championing inclusivity, emotional intelligence, and collaboration over traditional dominance—a balance that’s increasingly valued in modern leadership contexts.
What makes these female speakers stand out in tech-focused or innovation-driven events?
Many featured women—including those in AI, sustainability, and digital strategy—combine deep subject-matter expertise with narratives that resonate personally and culturally, making complex topics accessible and memorable.
How do I choose the right speaker for my audience?
Consider factors like regional relevance (e.g., China-centered insights), area of expertise (AI, sustainability, retail), popular keynote themes, audience needs, and the speaker’s presentation style—whether it’s high-energy, case-driven, or visionary.
How can I assess a speaker’s credibility and fit for my event?
Look for qualifications such as: speaking at major global forums, media recognition, bestselling books, audience feedback, and sector awards—many of which are highlighted in your blog’s bios.
How much does it usually cost to book a high-profile female keynote speaker?
While fees vary widely, search platforms like executive speaker bureaus list ranges—for example, mid-tier motivational speakers may charge between $20,000 and $30,000.
What materials should a speaker provide to make event planning smoother?
Speakers should ideally supply a professional highlight reel or sizzle video, testimonials, past talk footage, and speaking topic outlines to help you match expectations and format.
Why is booking a female keynote speaker impactful for leadership and innovation events?
Female keynote speakers bring diverse perspectives, inclusive leadership approaches, and fresh strategies that resonate with modern audiences. They combine expertise with relatable storytelling, making innovation topics more engaging and actionable.
This balance of insight and inspiration helps organizations address leadership challenges while encouraging collaboration, creativity, and forward-thinking problem-solving.
How do I measure the impact of a keynote speaker post-event?
Use attendee surveys (ratings on relevance, inspiration, applicability), social media engagement, requests for follow-ups, and internal feedback to gauge success.
How do I choose the right speaker from this list?
Start by defining your event goals and audience needs. If you want China-specific insights, consider experts like Ashley Dudarenok or Jennifer Zhu Scott. For sustainability, Peggy Liu is a strong choice. Aligning your event theme with a speaker’s proven expertise ensures maximum impact and relevance for your audience.
What topics does Ashley Dudarenok specialize in?
Ashley focuses on China’s digital transformation, retail innovation, consumer trends, and cross-border business strategies. Her keynotes cover AI-driven personalization, Gen Z behavior, live commerce, and integrating China’s speed and adaptability into global markets. She delivers practical, case study-backed strategies that audiences can apply immediately.
What is the usual length of a keynote session?
Most keynotes run 45–60 minutes, with the option for a 15–30 minute Q&A session. Extended workshops or masterclasses can last 90 minutes to half a day, depending on your event format and objectives.
Marketing to Millennials in China: Strategies to Reach Gen Y
Aug 13, 2025
Imagine this: Millennials and Gen Z together account for about 70 percent of luxury purchases, with Gen Y making up the bulk.
China’s millennial generation (Gen Y) – roughly those born 1980–1995 – has matured into a consumer powerhouse. They came of age amid China’s economic boom and digital revolution, and today they lead luxury spending and tech adoption in the country.
Unlike Gen Z—who chase fresh trends and self-expression—millennials spend strategically. They’re building lives, managing careers, and making deliberate purchases that reflect their values and aspirations.
While Gen Z dominates conversations online, Gen Y dominates the cash register. They represent the prime audience if your goal is loyalty, returns, and long-term brand relationships.
This blog post will explore how brands can effectively market to China’s Gen Y, clarifying how theydiffer from Gen Z and outlining strategies across platforms, content, influencers, e-commerce, and more.
Key Takeaways
Here’s a brief overview of the following article:
Definition of Chinese Millennials (Gen Y): Born between 1980 and 1995, this group values quality, cultural pride, and long-term brand relationships.
Distinction from Gen Z: Gen Y favors stability, trusted platforms, and meaningful content, while Gen Z leans toward novelty, speed, and viral trends.
Leading engagement platforms: WeChat, Douyin, RED, Kuaishou, and Bilibili dominate Gen Y’s digital life and drive informed, intentional purchases.
Effective marketing strategies: Cultural authenticity, regional localization, micro-influencer partnerships, and user-generated content foster trust and loyalty.
Priority product categories: Health, wellness, beauty, and culturally inspired domestic brands align with Gen Y’s lifestyle and values.
Strategic support from Ashley Dudarenok: Offers keynotes, workshops, and consulting to help brands connect authentically with China’s millennial consumers.
Contact Ashley Dudarenok to build a winning Gen Y marketing strategy.
Who Are China’s Millennials? Values & Digital Habits
Chinese millennials (Gen Y) number around 400 million strong and make up a massive consumer market segment. They were the first generation to experience unprecedented prosperity in China, yet they also grew up during one-child policy years—meaning many are only children with significant family expectations.
Here are key traits and values shaping their behavior:
Tech-savvy and Mobile-Centric
Chinese millennials are heavy smartphone users. Over 90% own a smartphone, spending an average of 5+ hours a dayon mobile—even more than their U.S. peers. They seamlessly use apps for everything from messaging to payments, shopping, and entertainment. Cash is rare; mobile payments via super-apps like WeChat and Alipay dominate daily life.
And as smart assistants and AI-driven retail gain traction, millennials are also part of the consumer group driving early adoption of voice commerce in China — turning voice-activated shopping into an extension of their mobile-first lifestyle. They’re equally engaged with innovations like the Internet of Things (IoT), which is reshaping how Chinese consumers interact with connected devices across retail, health, and daily life. For a deeper dive, see this guide on the Internet of Things.
Balance of Spending and Saving
This cohort loves to spend on quality and experiences, yet they’re also value-conscious. Many indulge in luxury products, with Chinese Gen Y expected to account for 40% of global personal luxury goods purchases by 2025.
At the same time, surveys show millennials diligently save and hunt for deals (e.g., cashback, coupons) to stretch their money. They’ll splurge on items that matter to them but appreciate promotions that help them feel financially savvy.
Digital Socializing & Influence
Unlike older generations, millennials in China are deeply immersed in social media and online communities. They trust peer recommendations and online reviews.
21% of consumers use Tmall/Taobao and 14% use RedNote to research beauty products, showing that they rely on social and e-commerce platforms for authentic user-generated content before buying. They also engage with brands directly on social platforms, expecting two-way communication.
Cultural Confidence
Having witnessed China’s rise, millennial consumers display growing pride in local culture and brands. They led early waves of the “Guochao” trend (literally “national tide”), preferring products that incorporate Chinese traditions or are made by domestic companies.
They’ll still buy foreign brands, but increasingly evaluate all options on quality and cultural relevance rather than foreign prestige alone. This cultural confidence influences how brands need to position themselves with genuine respect for Chinese heritage and values.
Family and Responsibility
Many older millennials are starting families or caring for aging parents. This shapes their spending toward wellness, education, and home-related categories (more on that later). It also means convenience and reliability are prized – solutions that save them time or make life easier resonate well.
Understanding these characteristics is crucial. To effectively market to China’s Gen Y, brands must tap into their digital lifestyle, appeal to their values (quality, authenticity, a good deal), and communicate on the platforms where they spend their time.
Winning Platforms in 2025: Where Gen Y Pays Attention
Chinese millennials taking a selfie in a café.
Chinese millennials are active across a vast digital ecosystem, but a few key platforms dominate their attention in 2024–2025. Each platform plays a unique role in the customer journey:
Douyin
Douyin (China’s TikTok) dominates daily life in China, blending entertainment, discovery, and commerce into one seamless experience. In 2024, it reached over 1 billion monthly active users, 60% of whom were aged 18–35, making it a core platform for reaching Gen Y.
Engagement is intense. Users spend an average of 110 minutes daily, and videos see a 68% completion rate, reflecting highly optimized, attention-holding formats.
For millennials — who spend strategically but seek quality experiences — Douyin delivers both fun and frictionless commerce. They watch, decide, and purchase in minutes.
How brands win on Douyin in 2025
Use short-form storytelling that mirrors real life — not just polished ads
Leverage creators to showcase products in daily routines or transformations
Run interactive campaigns like “challenge+coupon” combos that reward engagement with value
Invest in livestreams for deeper education and trust-building before purchase
For Gen Y, Douyin is less about virality and more about emotional resonance plus instant utility. The brands that thrive speak to both.
Kuaishou
While less globally recognized than Douyin, Kuaishou is a major short-video platform in China — especially among users in lower-tier cities and rural regions. As of Q4 2024, it reported 401 million daily active users, who spend over 2 hours a day on the app.
The platform stands out for its strong community feel, interactive livestreams, and real-life storytelling. Unlike the polished, aspirational tone of other apps, Kuaishou favors down-to-earth, relatable content — which deeply resonates with Gen Y outside urban centers.
Why it works for millennial marketing:
Builds trust through “everyday” creators and real product demos
Supports two-way engagement via live chats and gifting
Encourages repeat interaction through fan-based micro-communities
For brands targeting cost-conscious, loyal millennial shoppers in Tier 3–4 cities, Kuaishou offers both reach and authentic connection — but only if the content speaks their language.
RedNote (RED)
RedNote (also known as Xiaohongshu or RED) has become a go-to lifestyle hub for China’s urban millennials. By late 2024, it surpassed 300 million monthly active users, with 77% aged 18–34 evenly split between Gen Z and Gen Y. Its core audience is educated, middle-class women in top-tier cities.
RED functions like a blend of Pinterest, Instagram, and Amazon — a daily source of inspiration for beauty, fashion, fitness, and travel. But what sets it apart is the depth of user trust.
Millennials on RED rely heavily on peer reviews, personal stories, and lifestyle tutorials before making purchase decisions. A 2025 academic study confirmed that user-generated content (UGC) from influencers and regular users outperformed celebrity posts in both engagement and conversion.
Winning Gen Y on RED in 2025:
Seed products with micro-influencers who post honest, aesthetic reviews
Encourage UGC from real users by offering trials, samples, or repost incentives
Craft native-style content — tips, “before and afters,” or experience breakdowns
Avoid hard selling; Gen Y scrolls RED like a lifestyle magazine, not a mall
Branded content works best when it feels organic. From clean beauty to career wear, Gen Y uses RED not just to shop — but to make confident, peer-informed choices.
WeChat
WeChat remains vital for reaching China’s Gen Y. As of 2024, it had over 1.38 billion monthly users. For millennials, it’s a daily tool for chatting, reading, shopping, and managing payments. Unlike short-video platforms, WeChat is built for long-term engagement and loyalty.
How Brands Use WeChat to Win Millennial Loyalty:
Official Accounts: Post regular updates, educational content, or behind-the-scenes stories. Focus on value-first messaging, not sales spam.
VIP Groups & Community Chats: Create invite-only spaces that offer early access, service, or peer interaction. Gen Y values exclusivity and trust among familiar faces.
Mini-Programs: Enable seamless in-app shopping, referrals, or loyalty actions. In 2024, Mini-Shop sales rose 200% YoY, fueled by social discovery and low-friction purchases.
Loyalty Integration: Tie WeChat to broader CRM. Brands like Starbucks link gifting, points, and personalized offers into a unified app experience.
Why Gen Y Responds:
They want convenience and control — WeChat lets them explore, ask, buy, and follow up in one place
They respond to personalized value, not mass exposure
They prefer quiet, consistent interactions that respect their time
WeChat isn’t where Gen Y discovers your brand — it’s where they stay. Build long-term trust through useful content, smooth UX, and community connection.
Bilibili
Bilibili attracts China’s most passionate, niche-driven millennial users, especially those born in the 1980s and 90s. As of 2025, it had over 300 million monthly active users, most under 35. Its content spans anime, gaming, tech, music, and pop culture.
Unlike Douyin or RED, Bilibili isn’t for instant virality. It’s for brands that want credibility, community, and depth.
Why It Works for Millennial Marketing
Subculture targeting: Ideal for brands in gaming, anime, fashion, music, and tech
Authentic creator partnerships: Collaborate with “UP owners” to produce content that blends naturally into niche communities
Cultural integration: Campaigns that use storytelling, humor, or anime aesthetics (e.g., a car brand’s anime-style short) win attention
High trust: Gen Y on Bilibili is ad-savvy — they engage only with creative, sincere content
Bilibili also hosts major events like its New Year’s Eve gala and supports brand-run channels. Even non-profits and museums have attracted millennial fans by sharing meaningful cultural or educational content.
For brands seeking credibility over virality, Bilibili offers a clear path to connect with millennial passion points — not by selling, but by joining the conversation.
Strategic Content & Creative Formats That Resonate
Reaching Chinese millennials is only half the challenge — the real work lies in speaking to their values through content and creative strategy. Gen Y responds best to campaigns that feel sincere, emotionally engaging, and culturally aware. They grew up during China’s rapid transformation and now expect brands to show cultural fluency, not surface-level localization.
Lead with Cultural Authenticity and Emotional Narratives
Millennials in China connect deeply with stories that mirror their lives — career stress, family roles, or personal reinvention. Brands that succeed often lead with narrative, not product.
Ads centered on family reunions, social pressure, or self-growth perform well
Mini-films and branded content that feel human and cinematic spark sharing
Campaigns using real Chinese settings, music, or traditions resonate more than stock-style “localization”
Global brands that respect cultural nuance — through language, tone, and casting — earn Gen Y’s trust. Sincerity matters more than polish.
Millennials in Chengdu don’t talk like those in Shanghai. Successful campaigns adapt to regional identity, especially in Tier 2–3 cities where Gen Y holds major purchasing power.
Use dialects or slang in ad versions
Launch city-specific pop-ups or flavor editions
Tailor WeChat group content by region or city
Reflect regional pride — from food to design to humor
Localized marketing tells millennials: “You’re not just part of China — you’re part of this place.”
Influencer & KOL strategies: Beyond the Megastars
Influencer marketing in China has evolved. For Gen Y, polished celebrity ads no longer move the needle. What matters now is trust, niche relevance, and creative authenticity — delivered by micro- and mid-tier voices who feel real.
From Celebrities to Credible Creators
Millennials are skeptical of big-name endorsements. They’re more likely to act on recommendations from creators who feel like peers.
Top-tier “wanghong” fatigue has set in — the aspirational sheen feels disconnected
Micro (10k–100k followers) and mid-tier KOLs (100k–500k) drive stronger engagement with less spend
Peer influencers are seen as part of the community — not hired spokespeople
This shift reflects Gen Y’s preference for honest, lifestyle-integrated content. Overly polished scripts no longer land.
Targeted Engagement, Higher ROI
Working with multiple niche influencers delivers better results than one high-profile name.
These campaigns feel organic, especially when creators showcase daily use, personal stories, or product trials
Brands report stronger conversion when content is tailored to each audience rather than mass broadcast
Authenticity Requires Creative Freedom
Gen Y responds to real stories over scripted promotions. Brands that give influencers room to create natural, personal content see stronger engagement.
A fitness micro-KOL might document a real 30-day challenge with a product
Beauty influencers often share honest reviews and daily-use posts, which outperform polished ads
KOCs and Private Advocacy Loops
Key Opinion Consumers (KOCs) — regular users who share real feedback — are rising in influence. Gen Y trusts peer-to-peer tips more than official posts.
Brands encourage referrals and posts through small perks or early access
KOC voices carry weight in trusted, peer-driven environments — often within private or content-rich platforms.
Campaigns that tap real users as part of brand storytelling feel more grassroots and credible
Beyond Content: Building Millennial Communities
Influencer impact now extends into livestreaming, private fan groups, and co-creation.
Livestream hosts build real-time connections and drive sales
Some influencers build private groups or fan chats where loyal users exchange product tips and participate in exclusive drops.
Co-branded product lines (e.g. limited edition collabs) reinforce Gen Y’s desire for involvement and insider access
A Smart Millennial KOL Strategy Looks Like This
Use a macro or celebrity for brand awareness
Combine with 30+ micro- and mid-tier KOLs across categories for deeper reach
Let each creator tailor content to their audience — no one-size-fits-all
Measure what matters: engagement, referrals, and conversions — not just likes
Lifestyle & Niche Opportunities: Wellness, Beauty, and Domestic Pride
Chinese millennial shopper receiving a purchase in a store.
To truly connect with Chinese millennials, brands should look at what specific product categories and lifestyle niches are booming for this demographic. Gen Y’s spending priorities in 2025 reveal some clear opportunities:
Health & Wellness
Millennial consumers in China are increasingly health-conscious, especially after the pandemic. There’s surging interest in wellness products, from nutritional supplements to fitness services. A recent 2025 survey found that 41% of Chinese consumers plan to spend more on health-related products like vitamins and traditional Chinese medicine.
Sleep aids: White noise machines, magnesium sprays, app-connected sleep trackers
TCM-based home care: Warming patches, guasha tools, and foot soaks for everyday relief
Beauty & Personal Care
China’s beauty market is massive, and millennials (especially women, but also men increasingly) spend significantly on cosmetics, skincare, and personal care. In early 2025, China’s cosmetics retail sales surged, showing renewed growth.
Domestic beauty brands have made big waves by aligning with millennial tastes – Perfect Diary, Florasis (Hua Xizi), Proya, etc., often emphasizing quality at reasonable price and cultural elements (Florasis famously incorporates Chinese floral designs and ancient poetry in its branding. Millennials are open to trying new brands if the product is good and the marketing is engaging.
One case is Yunifang (a Chinese skincare brand), which launched an AI-driven system to personalize face masks for users based on a skin test – appealing to millennials’ love of tech personalization.
We discussed guochao in marketing, but it also manifests in what products millennials buy. There’s a renaissance of interest in homegrown brands and culturally-inspired products. This spans fashion (apparel with Chinese elements, local designer streetwear), food (domestic snack brands reviving traditional flavors), and beyond.
For instance, traditional Chinese tea and herbal drinks are being re-packaged in chic, modern ways to entice young consumers who might otherwise pick soda or coffee. A brand like Wanglaoji (herbal tea) became trendy after repositioning itself as a healthy, heritage-rich, cool drink.
Winning brands:
Mix heritage visuals with utility-first features
Offer accessible pricing for family buyers
Focus on green packaging, service, and aftercare
Crafting Brand Narrative & Loyalty Building for Gen Y
Chinese millennial researching a product in a shop.
Gen Y in China stays loyal to brands that reflect their values and deliver consistent, personalized experiences. Loyalty isn’t transactional — it’s emotional, built through relevance, cultural fluency, and real connection.
Build a Brand Story That Resonates
Millennials align with brands that speak to their lives and values. Narratives that highlight personal growth, cultural pride, or social impact work well — especially when grounded in local relevance.
Baijiling blends Chinese herbal science with modern skincare, creating a distinct local identity
Nike China features everyday athletes facing real-world struggles, not just elite performers
Themes like sustainability, wellness, and education create long-term resonance — but only when backed by action
Tiered benefits (early drops, VIP access, birthday perks) make Gen Y feel seen
Peer engagement — via fan clubs, running groups, or WeChat meetups — deepens brand bonds
Brands like Starbucks succeed by embedding their loyalty strategy into users’ daily lives
Personalization and Service Matter
Gen Y expects brands to know them — and show it.
Send meaningful follow-ups: a “thank you” on a WeChat order or a reminder to reorder what they last bought.
Celebrate milestones: anniversaries, birthdays, or loyalty tiers.
Offer quick, no-hassle support. Great after-sales service builds long-term trust, especially in tech and lifestyle categories.
Everyday Content That Stays Relevant
Stay present without spamming. Consistent, helpful content keeps Gen Y engaged between purchases.
Celebrate cultural festivals like Qixi or Singles’ Day with local campaigns
Share behind-the-scenes stories, creator takeovers, or product tips
Encourage user co-creation through reviews, reposts, and challenges
Loyalty Means Advocacy
The most powerful loyalty metric? Referrals. Gen Y trusts their peers and will recommend brands that deliver consistently. Many brands now tie referrals to mini rewards, helping satisfied customers turn into organic promoters.
At the same time, millennials are vocal online — both in praise and critique. Active reputation management (monitoring, responding, and adjusting) reinforces trust and positions the brand as responsive and human.
Sample case studies & brand wins
To wrap up, let’s look at a few brief case studies illustrating how brands applied the above strategies to win Gen Y in China:
Adidas – Blending Culture with Streetwear
Strategy: Tapped into the Guochao trend with a culturally inspired drop
Tactics:
Collaborated on “Adidas Originals × Journey to the West” streetwear collection
Released anime-style video content on Bilibili, reimagining the Monkey King in modern Shanghai
Partnered with mid-tier fashion bloggers who were long-time fans of the novel
Results The campaign’s hashtag reached over 50 million views on Weibo within one week. The collection sold out within days, reconnecting millennial buyers who were drifting toward domestic competitors.
Why it worked: Adidas didn’t just borrow from Chinese culture — it told a culturally literate story that resonated with Gen Y’s nostalgia and national pride.
Pop Mart’s “Blind-Box” Culture (2024–2025)
Strategy: Built community fandom around collectible “blind-box” toys
Pop Mart’s collectible toy “blind‑box” marketing—a model built on scarcity and community fandom—targeted millennials and Gen Z in China. The thrill of unwrapping, coupled with designer collaborations, helped create repeated purchases and social sharing behavior.
Tactics:
Collaborated with artists and IPs to create exclusive characters
Leaned into psychological drivers — scarcity, randomness, and community hype
Leveraged influencers like Lisa (BLACKPINK) for mainstream lift, then relied on user content for sustained buzz
Key takeaway: Leverage psychological drivers like scarcity, surprise, and collectibility, supported by influencer content to drive millennial engagement and repeat purchase behaviors.
Lululemon’s China Health & Wellness Rise (2024)
Strategy: Positioned itself at the center of China’s millennial health movement.
The brand prioritized community events, fitness influencers, and messaging that combined aspirational wellness with accessibility—a strategy that resonated particularly well amid economic slowdown.
Results:
In 2024, Lululemon saw +26% same‑store sales in mainland China, reaching $393M in Q2, driven by millennial and Gen Z interest in health, fitness, and community-based retail experiences.
Key takeaway: Align with values like wellness and community, use local influencer partnerships, and host offline/online experiences to strengthen loyalty among younger Chinese customers.
Want to Reach China’s Gen Y with a Strategy That Actually Converts?
If you’re targeting China’s millennial buyers—those who value authenticity, loyalty, and thoughtful content—Ashley Dudarenok can help you get it right the first time.
Through her executive sessions, strategic keynotes, and custom briefings, Ashley delivers:
Deep dives into Gen Y values and platform behavior (WeChat, RED, Douyin, Bilibili)
Keynote talks or private team briefings on how to win millennial trust through content, loyalty, and cultural fluency
Tailored strategic insights comparing Gen Y vs Gen Z—so your campaigns don’t miss the mark
Whether you’re launching a product, revamping your China strategy, or just struggling to resonate with intent-driven millennials, Ashley will help you decode what matters—and how to act on it.
Chinese millennials, or Gen Y, are typically born between 1980 and 1995. In 2025, they are aged 30 to 45. They are career-focused, value long-term stability, and have strong purchasing power across tech, wellness, parenting, and premium lifestyle categories.
How do Chinese millennials differ from Gen Z?
Gen Y values stability, product quality, and personal relevance. They prefer trusted platforms and brand consistency. Gen Z leans toward novelty, speed, and viral trends. Strategies for Gen Y require deeper storytelling, expert-driven content, and high service standards.
Which platforms are most effective for reaching Gen Y in China?
WeChat, Douyin, RedNote (RED), and JD.com are most effective. Gen Y uses WeChat for trusted commerce and RED for lifestyle research. Douyin works well for product demos, while e-commerce sites help complete informed, intentional purchases.
Are influencers still effective for millennial marketing?
Yes, but the focus has shifted. Millennials prefer niche or expert micro-KOLs over celebrity figures. Creators who provide honest reviews, real-life context, and consistent updates drive stronger trust and conversions among Gen Y buyers.
How do Chinese millennials shop online?
They shop with intent. They rely on trusted platforms, read reviews, compare specs, and often buy through livestreams, Mini Programs, or group recommendations. Service, return policies, and peer validation matter more than discounts alone.
What product categories are most popular among Gen Y?
Health, wellness, skincare, baby care, and home improvement products lead in 2025. Millennials prioritize functionality, safety, and family relevance. Domestic brands with practical designs and clean ingredients perform well in these segments.
What role does WeChat play in Gen Y engagement?
WeChat is central. Millennials use it for shopping, brand support, and CRM interactions. Mini Programs, group referrals, and WeCom-based service funnels help brands convert and retain Gen Y buyers inside a trusted ecosystem.
What metrics matter when measuring Gen Y campaign success?
Key metrics include content saves, video completion, Mini Program re-entries, CRM response rates, and first-to-repeat purchase time. These show deeper engagement and real purchase intent—not just surface-level views or clicks.
How can brands convey authenticity and values?
Brands should embrace strong values around sustainability, inclusivity, or cultural pride. Authentic storytelling, transparency in sourcing and production, and meaningful brand identity are key to resonating with Millennial values.
What role does social commerce play?
Social commerce—like live streaming on Douyin or Taobao Live, integrated with e‑commerce—is vital. It combines entertainment, direct engagement, and instant purchasing, making it especially appealing to Millennials seeking immediacy and fun engagement
What Is the Impact of Customer Centricity in Business?
Aug 10, 2025
When Xiaomi customers noticed glitches or had ideas for better features, they didn’t shout into a void. In 2024, the company sped up how it responded—rolling out faster updates and keeping users in the loop. That shift, driven by direct customer feedback, paid off. Satisfaction climbed, and Xiaomi kept its loyal base hooked in a highly competitive market.
JD.com took a similar route. In May 2024, it rolled out JD NOW—an on-demand retail service offering delivery from half a million stores across 2,300 Chinese cities, sometimes in under nine minutes. This wasn’t a gimmick. It was a response to what shoppers wanted: convenience without compromise. The result? Happier customers and more orders, plain and simple.
Examples show that customer centricity isn’t just a buzzword in China—it’s a clear business strategy. Local giants are building stronger loyalty, more efficient operations, and faster growth by focusing hard on what their customers care about.
Let’s break down what customer centricity means, how it plays out in China versus globally, and why it’s becoming essential.
Key Takeaways
Here’s a brief overview of the following article:
Definition of customer centricity: Customer centricity means aligning every part of a business—from product design to service delivery—around what customers truly need and value.
China’s distinct approach: Chinese companies focus on rapid feedback loops, real-time data, and cultural trust (guanxi) to meet customer expectations faster than traditional global models.
Business impact: A strong customer focus increases revenue, improves retention, drives loyalty, enhances efficiency, and strengthens brand reputation across competitive markets.
Notable examples: Brands like Xiaomi, JD.com, SF Express, Trip.com, Haidilao, and Laopu Gold show measurable gains from customer-first strategies.
Role of internal culture: Customer centricity boosts employee engagement by giving teams a shared mission, clear goals, and stronger motivation to collaborate.
Contact Ashley Dudarenok to apply proven customer-centric strategies from China’s most competitive brands to your business.
What is Customer Centricity?
Customer centricity is a corporate strategy that aligns every process—from product roadmaps and logistics to support and post-sale care—with what customers truly need. In China, this strategy means acting quickly on feedback, using data to guide every decision, and treating every customer touchpoint as an opportunity to improve.
How China Defines Customer Centricity vs. Global Interpretations
In many global markets, especially the U.S. and Europe, customer centricity means prioritizing consistent branding, emotional touchpoints, loyalty systems, and journey mapping. Companies invest in CRM platforms, UX research, and storytelling. Updates are carefully planned and reflected in long-term brand equity.
China’s Pragmatic Edge
In China, feedback loops and data take center stage. Brands measure and act fast. For example:
Alibaba funnels real-time signals—from reviews to browsing behavior—into optimizing product design, logistics, and promotions across platforms. It’s not about ritual marketing but reacting to customers instantly.
Meituan’s coupon allocation system, deployed in May 2024, uses machine learning to deliver customized coupons to over 100 million users in more than 110 cities. Allocating offers in under 50 milliseconds dramatically improved conversions and added CNY 8 million in profit.
JD.com’s self-built logistics directly improves perceived usefulness and satisfaction. According to a July 2024 academic study, logistics information quality and system reliability significantly increase loyalty and continuous buying intent among users across China.
Culture and Trust
In China, guanxi—relational trust—is critical in B2B and consumer decisions.
Customer-centric companies build and maintain that trust by:
Listening and responding to feedback
Offering consistent service across touchpoints
Prioritizing relationship-building, not just transactions
When businesses align with cultural expectations, they earn stronger loyalty and long-term performance.
What is the Impact of Customer Centricity in Business
So, what’s the big deal with being customer-centric? Is it another feel-good business buzzword, or does it move the needle? The short answer: it does. Companies that genuinely put the customer first don’t just earn more loyalty—they perform better across the board.
1. Higher Profitability & Revenue Growth
Customer-centric businesses identify and eliminate friction that slows sales. They optimize products and services based on user behavior, not assumptions—leading to more conversions, fewer complaints, and better margins.
When you understand your customers’ values, you can deliver more efficiently and confidently. A global study spanning 80 countries found that 84% of businesses prioritizing improving customer experience saw increased revenue, while 79% reported significant cost savings.
Case in China
SF Express Homepage
SF Express has consistently ranked #1 in customer satisfaction for over 15 years. Its premium pricing is backed by exceptional service, real-time tracking, and network reliability. Because it responds directly to customer expectations—especially in time-sensitive deliveries—it can sustain higher revenue and profit margins even in a price-sensitive market.
2. Improved Retention & Reduced Churn
Customer centricity helps businesses retain clients and reduce churn. Satisfied customers are more likely to return, and keeping them is far more cost-effective than replacing them.
Acquiring a new customer can cost up to five times more than retaining an existing one. Even a 2% increase in retention can produce the same profit as a 10% cost reduction.
Retention Through Personalization
Chinese companies recognize this link and invest heavily in customer satisfaction. Personalization—both online and offline—has become a core strategy.
Tailored experiences meet individual preferences and build stronger relationships, increasing the likelihood that customers will stay rather than switch to competitors.
When services match customer needs, they feel understood and valued. That sense of relevance drives repeat business.
Case in Focus: Trip.com (Ctrip)
Trip.com, formerly Ctrip, offers a clear example of how customer care reduces churn. As China’s top online travel agency, it prioritizes convenience and support.
It’s an app that combines flights, hotels, trains, and tours into one platform. It also provides 24/7 multilingual customer service, helping users resolve issues quickly.
This consistent focus on support and usability has earned customer trust. Travelers who book once often return, knowing they’ll receive reliable service each time. As a result, Trip.com maintains high retention rates without relying on deep discounts or promotions.
3. Boosted Loyalty & Word‑of‑Mouth Advocacy
Image from freepik
Customer centricity doesn’t just drive repeat business—it turns satisfied customers into loyal brand advocates who actively promote your business.
Loyal customers are far more likely to recommend a company after a positive experience, which has a real impact in China’s social media–driven market. Emotionally engaged customers generate 306% higher lifetime value and refer others at a 71% rate, compared to just 45% among less engaged customers.
Word-of-mouth remains one of the most effective and trusted marketing tools. Happy customers share their stories with friends, family, and online networks. Research shows loyal customers are 4 times more likely to recommend a brand. Sometimes, word-of-mouth drives up to 13% of total sales—at no additional marketing cost.
Case in Focus: Haidilao’s Loyalty Effect
Haidilao’s growth reflects the power of customer-first service in action. The hotpot chain creates memorable experiences that naturally spark customer advocacy. Guests often receive complimentary snacks, manicures, or games while waiting—small gestures that leave lasting impressions.
This focus on delight, not just delivery, has paid off:
Customers voluntarily bring friends and family
Social media posts highlight the service as much as the food.
Online reviews praise the staff’s personal touches.
Over time, Haidilao built a loyal following that actively promoted the brand without needing large-scale advertising. Its customer-first culture created advocates who discussed the experience and invited others to try it.
The Bottom Line
Customer-centric companies in China turn loyalty into momentum. When experiences exceed expectations, customers don’t just return—they recommend. That advocacy fuels organic growth, strengthens market position, and builds brand value from the inside out.
Loyalty doesn’t happen by chance. These Chinese brands built retention and advocacy by responding quickly to their customers’ needs.
If your team is ready to do the same, Ashley Dudarenok delivers keynotes packed with actionable strategies from China’s most customer-centric brands—tailored for global leaders.
Customer centricity improves service, streamlines operations, and reduces unnecessary costs. When companies focus on what customers value, they can cut waste, automate the proper steps, and simplify internal processes.
The result? A leaner, more efficient business that delivers faster service at lower cost.
Smarter Operations Through Customer Insight
Chinese companies increasingly use digital tools and AI to serve customers more efficiently. In the auto industry, a 2024 study found that Chinese automakers are building digital-first service systems that respond to customer expectations for fast, transparent experiences. These systems reduce delays, cut paperwork, and help teams prioritize real customer needs.
When you align operations with customer behavior, the payoff includes:
Fewer process bottlenecks
Faster service delivery
Lower manual error rates
Better use of staff and tech resources
These changes improve the experience and lower costs—without compromising quality.
Case in Focus: Alibaba’s Cainiao
Alibaba Cainiao homepage
Cainiao, Alibaba’s logistics platform, shows how customer-centric design drives efficiency. The company uses big data and automation to:
Optimize delivery routes based on real-time demand
Reduce warehouse handling time
Minimize last-mile delivery issues
This customer-first logistics model ensures speed, accuracy, and cost control. Fast delivery wins customer trust, and automated routing lowers operational expenses. Together, they create a self-reinforcing system where better service equals greater efficiency.
5. Stronger Brand Reputation & Trust
Customer centricity builds more than satisfaction—it builds trust. Trust directly influences loyalty and long-term brand preference in China’s fast-moving, high-choice market. When businesses consistently meet or exceed expectations, they earn reputations that set them apart from the competition.
Positive, consistent experiences shape how customers perceive a brand. Over time, this turns into a reputation that attracts new customers and reinforces loyalty among existing ones.
Why Trust Matters
Chinese consumers are increasingly selective, often prioritizing transparency, safety, and service quality. When companies focus on customer interests and deliver dependable experiences, they create emotional confidence in the brand.
Customer-centric companies typically:
Resolve problems quickly
Communicate clearly and respectfully
Deliver consistent service across channels
Protect customer data and privacy
This behavior builds goodwill—something branding alone can’t manufacture.
According to a Gallup study, customer-centric companies saw a 20% increase in customer confidence, a key indicator of trust, alongside gains in loyalty. Simply put, putting customers first translates into a more trustworthy, resilient brand in the eyes of consumers.
Laopu Gold – Jewelry with Cultural Confidence
Through symbols of Chinese heritage, fixed pricing, and exclusive releases, Laopu doubled in-store sales and quadrupled online performance in 2025. Its listing led to a valuation above HK$170 billion (about US$21.7 billion), a clear sign of brand trust.
Shushu/Tong – Fashion With a Local Touch
Shushu/Tong, a Shanghai‑based fashion label, has gained traction through seasonally updated, design‑forward collections. In 2025, its presence on Tmall improved product tracking and customer loyalty. Since then, it has grown to over 30 international and 20 domestic stockists, added a flagship store in Shanghai, and expanded into new categories like handbags.
In a Market Where One Mistake Matters
In China, reputation can change quickly. PwC reports that nearly one in three consumers will abandon a brand after just one bad experience. That makes trust a fragile but essential asset.
Customer-centric companies protect their reputations by acting fast, learning from complaints, and preventing issues before they escalate. Over time, this creates a brand identity built on what the company sells and how it treats its customers.
6. Employee Engagement & Internal Culture Growth
Image from freepik
Customer centricity benefits customers and transforms internal culture. When an organization prioritizes customers, it gives employees a shared mission, more explicit purpose, and stronger motivation.
Staff at every level understand how their work contributes to a better customer experience. This alignment boosts morale, encourages initiative, and creates a service-driven culture that supports long-term growth.
Engagement Through Purpose
A customer-focused company connects employee roles directly to customer outcomes. This makes day-to-day tasks more meaningful and encourages teams to collaborate across departments to solve customer problems faster.
Engaged employees:
Feel ownership over the customer experience
Take pride in delivering value
Are more proactive in resolving issues
The result is stronger internal cohesion and better external service.
Culture That Reinforces Itself
In customer-centric companies, positive feedback loops form naturally. Employees see the impact of their work through happy customers, which increases their engagement. They deliver even better service as they feel more connected to the company’s purpose.
This self-reinforcing cycle contributes to:
Higher employee retention
Better cross-functional collaboration
A culture of accountability and empathy
When customer needs drive decision-making at all levels, internal culture becomes more responsive, united, and growth-oriented.
L’Oréal in China – Customer-Centric Innovation Spurs Employee Empowerment
Multinational L’Oréal has adopted a localized, customer-centric strategy in China. It revamped its product positioning to focus on skinrepair over generic recovery and tailored formulations specifically for Chinese consumers.
How this connects:
Empowers product teams with clear, customer-driven goals.
Encourages cross-functional collaboration (R&D, marketing, local insights).
Boosts employee ownership of customer-first innovation, reinforcing internal cohesion and a service-oriented mindset.
7. New Growth & Upsell Opportunities
Customer centricity helps companies uncover revenue opportunities by focusing on what customers want next. Instead of pushing products, they analyze behavior to offer more relevant services, upgrades, or adjacent solutions.
Listening to customers reveals what they’re willing to pay for—and when.
Free Benefits That Increase Paid Conversions
One clear example is how companies leverage loyalty programs and freemium perks to drive upsells. According to J.D. Power’s research on China’s auto industry, customers who received freebenefits (like complimentary services or perks) became much more likely to purchase paid services later.
Specifically, 38% of customers offered free benefits ended up buying additional paid benefits, compared to 13% without freebies. This shows that a small customer-centric gesture (a freebie that provides value) can open the door to significant additional revenue, as satisfied customers are happy to invest more in a brand.
Similarly, engaging customers through digital channels can boost spending: Chinese customers who use a company’s official app or online platform tend to be more engaged and spend more.
For example, auto customers using manufacturer apps for service bookings not only showed higher loyalty but also had an average after-sales spend 718 RMB higher than non-app users – essentially because the convenient, personalized experience led them to utilize more services
8. Competitive Advantage & Market Differentiation
Customer centricity gives companies a clear edge in competitive markets. Service quality and customer experience become key differentiators when products and prices are similar.
In China, where consumer expectations evolve quickly, companies prioritize customer needs are better positioned to lead.
Brands that offer consistent, personalized service stand out. Customers who trust a company to meet their needs are likelier to stay loyal—even when alternatives exist.
Customer-centric companies respond faster, adapt sooner, and earn reputations that competitors struggle to match.
Huawei: Competing Through Customer Focus
Huawei built global momentum by aligning its products with customer feedback. It invested in R&D to improve user experience—from longer battery life to localized features—and provided tailored support for enterprise clients.
This approach helped Huawei grow its consumer business to over $74 billion, strengthening its position in both domestic and international markets.
Xiaomi: Growth Through Customer Co-Creation
Xiaomi engaged users early through online communities and direct feedback loops. Each product release reflected user input, which built loyalty and increased relevance.
Customers became repeat buyers and brand advocates. Xiaomi’s responsive model helped it maintain a strong foothold in China’s competitive smartphone market.
Customer centricity helped companies break away from competitors and lead their categories. The ability to deliver what customers truly value remains one of the strongest differentiators in China’s fast-moving markets.
The Future of Consumer-Centricity in China: Where It’s Headed and Why It Matters
Image from freepik
As China continues shifting from an investment-heavy model to a more sustainable, consumption-driven economy, brands face a big question: How do we put the consumer at the center? The short answer? Adapt fast—or risk falling behind.
A Rising Consumer Class with Bigger Expectations
China’s middle and upper-middle classes are growing fast, expected to add about 80 million people by 2030. This group, especially younger consumers like Gen Z, isn’t just spending more (about 50% above average incomes); they’re spending differently. They want products that reflect their values, fit their lifestyles, and feel personal.
In China, 61% of Gen Z consumers plan to increase spending by over 20% in the next two years, especially on experiences, wellness, and meaningful brands.
Digital Touchpoints Are Getting Smarter—and More Social
China is already a global leader in digital innovation, and the next wave of consumer engagement is all about personalization at scale. Platforms like Alibaba and JD.com use AI, big data, and social influencers (KOLs or “wanghong”) to tailor real-time experiences.
Meanwhile, social commerce—shopping through platforms like WeChat, Xiaohongshu, and Douyin—is exploding. People trust recommendations from peers and influencers way more than traditional ads.
This shift isn’t just trendy—it’s sticky. Livestreaming sales and private WeChat groups are becoming some of the most effective sales channels nationwide.
Policy Support Means the Trend Isn’t Slowing Down
China’s government is actively pushing toward a consumer-led economy. From the “dual circulation” strategy to fresh initiatives supporting domestic food and agricultural product consumption, there’s clear momentum behind policies that boost internal demand.
The IMF estimates that if China succeeds in making this transition—especially with reforms in pensions, healthcare, and education—it could unlock up to $3.5 trillion in GDP growth over the next 15 years.
Ashley Dudarenok: Make Customer Centricity Work Like It Does in China
JD.com, Xiaomi, Trip.com—these brands succeed because they co-create with their customers, not just serve them.
If you’re ready to bring these strategies into your business, Ashley Dudarenok can help.
As one of the world’s top experts on customer experience and China’s digital economy, Ashley works with Fortune 500s and high-growth teams to:
Decode what customer centricity means in action
Show how to use data, AI, and social commerce to strengthen loyalty
Align internal teams around fast, feedback-driven innovation
Build reputation and retention through value—not gimmicks
Her keynotes and advisory sessions don’t just inspire—they deliver playbooks shaped by what works in the world’s most competitive market. Connect with Ashley now to design a strategy built on real-time feedback and customer trust—and grow your brand the Chinese way.
FAQs about What is the Impact of Customer Centricity
How does customer centricity impact business growth?
Customer centricity drives growth by aligning products and services to actual customer needs. Businesses that center decision-making around customer value realize higher profitability, faster revenue increase, and sustained expansion.
What are some challenges businesses face in becoming customer-centric?
Challenges include cultural gaps in mindset (shifting from product‑centric to customer focus), aligning internal silos, investing in real‑time data infrastructure, and building trust through guanxi networks. Without strong leadership buy‑in and system-wide changes, efforts can stall. Chinese firms, especially, must bridge technology with relational practices.
Can small businesses implement customer-centric strategies effectively?
Yes. Small businesses can implement customer-centric approaches via low-cost tools, focused feedback collection, and open communication. Using simple CRM platforms and listening to customers helps deliver personalized experiences. Even without large budgets, small companies can build loyalty by acting on customer insights and adjusting services accordingly.
How do Chinese companies differ in applying customer-centric approaches?
Chinese firms often combine data-driven personalization with cultural emphasis on “guanxi” relationship-building. They integrate real‑time feedback via super-apps and livestream commerce, plus offline touchpoints. This blended model accelerates responsiveness and loyalty in ways distinct from Western practices.
What role does technology play in customer centricity?
Technology enables unified customer views, AI‑driven personalization, and predictive analytics. CRM, customer health platforms, chatbots, and data dashboards help companies anticipate needs and respond precisely. These tools reduce manual effort, support scalable feedback loops, and make customer centricity actionable across all journey stages.
How can businesses measure the success of their customer-centric strategies?
Track loyalty KPIs like Net Promoter Score (NPS), customer lifetime value (CLV), retention rates, repeat purchase frequency, and brand advocacy. Combine with engagement metrics (app usage, feedback volume). In China, insights from super‑app data and real‑time dashboards are compelling.
What impact does guanxi have on customer centricity in Chinese business?
Guanxi (relationship networks) reinforce trust, commitment, and performance, especially when companies practice customer‑centric behavior. Strong customer focus amplifies guanxi benefits in B2B and B2C contexts.
Are mobile and super‑apps essential for customer centricity in China?
Yes. Over 98 % of internet users in China go online via mobile. Super‑apps like WeChat and Alipay combine payments, messaging, social media, and commerce into one seamless experience, so brands have to meet customers in those ecosystems.
Can customer centricity improve operational costs?
Yes. Customer-centric strategies streamline operations by eliminating non-value tasks, automating low-value work, and focusing staff on meaningful interactions. This reduces errors and waste, increases efficiency, and cuts costs while improving service.
How do live streaming and social commerce enhance customer focus?
Live streaming platforms (Douyin, Kuaishou) and Xiaohongshu co‑creation models let brands get instant feedback, build trust via influencers, and adapt products fast—making customers true partners in shaping the brand.
What Is Consumer Loyalty? Definition & Marketing Insights
Aug 03, 2025
Loyalty matters more than ever in China. The country’s retail market hit over US$2 trillion in 2024, and shoppers now expect more than just products—they want good service, fair prices, and clear value for their time and money.
China’s digital growth has made it easy for people to switch brands with just a few taps. At the same time, membership programs and app-based ecosystems give customers more reasons to stay loyal—if brands can deliver. Those that don’t risk falling behind in a market where competition moves fast.
This shift has made loyalty a key part of businesses’ growth and survival. It’s not about pushing promotions. It’s about keeping customers close, earning their trust, and making sure they come back—again and again.
Key Takeaways
Here’s a brief overview of the following article:
Definition of Consumer Loyalty: Consumer loyalty refers to repeat purchasing behavior driven by trust, satisfaction, emotional connection, or program incentives like rewards and memberships.
What Drives Loyalty in China: Loyalty is shaped by digital platforms, personalized experiences, gamified rewards, and strong cultural values like guanxi and social influence.
Role of Digital Ecosystems: Super-apps like WeChat, JD.com, and Douyin integrate shopping, payments, and loyalty programs into a seamless daily experience.
Impact of Gen Z and AI: Younger consumers expect personalized, value-driven interactions. AI and data analytics power real-time, targeted loyalty efforts.
Challenges for Brands: High competition, fast-changing trends, counterfeit goods, and strict data laws make loyalty harder to build and keep.
How Ashley Dudarenok Helps: Ashley works with global brands to design loyalty strategies tailored to China’s platforms, culture, and consumer habits.
Book Ashley to future-proof your customer loyalty strategy in China.
What Is Consumer Loyalty?
Consumer loyalty means customers keep choosing the same brand, even when plenty of other options exist. It’s about trust, habit, satisfaction, and the feeling that the brand gives something extra—whether that’s better service, rewards, or a sense of belonging.
Loyalty in China goes beyond repeat purchases. In return, many shoppers expect real value—exclusive perks, early access, personalized experiences. It’s more like a two-way relationship than a simple transaction.
There are a few main types of loyalty:
Transactional loyalty: Customers stick with a brand mainly for deals, points, or cashback. Loyalty is tied to short-term rewards.
Emotional loyalty: People feel connected to the brand because of its values, story, or how it makes them feel. This kind of loyalty is harder to build but tends to last longer.
Behavioral loyalty: Customers keep buying from the brand out of habit or convenience—even if they’re not emotionally attached.
Membership-based loyalty: Loyalty grows through exclusive benefits tied to a paid or free membership, which is especially common in China’s digital ecosystem.
Understanding these types helps brands see what’s working and missing in their loyalty strategy.
How Digital Culture and Social Influence Drive Loyalty in China
Image from freepik. Online seller managing orders by phone
China’s digital world is everywhere these days. In January 2025, social media user accounts reached around 1.08 billion, which is about 76.5% of the population. Almost everyone is online and social, setting the stage for digital-first loyalty strategies.
One of the biggest drivers is social influence. More than 90% of Chinese consumers trust recommendations from peers and influencers over traditional ads.
Livestream Shopping & Influencer Collabs
Engagement through short video, livestreaming, and mini dramas drives loyalty in a few ways:
KOLs and influencers build social proof. People trust recommendations from favorite influencers more than ads. Chinese platforms are strong in this area—some users unify content, livestream, and review in one place, boosting brand trust and loyalty.
Conversion rates are high. Social commerce in China often sees conversion rates of up to 30%, far above global averages.
Gamified Loyalty & Seamless Integration
Image from unlimphotos. Girls using VR headset and tablet on a couch
Gamified loyalty adds small game-like features to loyalty programs—things like badges, points, challenges, or tiered levels. These elements help keep users engaged and coming back, especially in a mobile-first culture where people are used to interacting with apps in short, frequent bursts.
China’s loyalty market alone is set to grow 16.1% in 2025, to US$19.63 billion, driven by gamified experiences and AI personalization in programs. Gamified programs often use progress tracking, referral rewards, and interactive experiences to create habits and emotional connections. These small rewards and challenges help keep people interested over time, not just during promotions.
Seamless Integration in a Digital Ecosystem
Loyalty works best when it’s built into the daily tools people use. In China’s digital world, loyalty features show up directly in apps for shopping, payments, and messaging—without needing a separate platform.
Loyalty points, membership benefits, or discounts can be tracked and redeemed through everyday app use, like scanning QR codes or making purchases. These tools remove friction and help make loyalty feel easy and automatic.
When everything is connected—shopping, paying, sharing, and earning—customers don’t need to consider staying loyal. The system works in the background, making participation effortless and ongoing.
Trust, Culture & Identity: What Loyalty Means in China
To win over Chinese consumers, brands need more than flashy deals or slick tech. Loyalty here runs deeper—it’s tied to relationships, shared values, and emotional trust.
One study found roughly 31.9% of Chinese consumers prioritize cognitive trust when forming loyalty—nearly double the 18% reported in the U.S. This shows Chinese shoppers often verify value and reputation before committing. Institutional trust is also much stronger in China (47.1% vs 25%), showing confidence in structured systems and verified interactions.
Guanxi & Relationship-Building
In Chinese culture, guanxi—the network of trust and mutual support—is a big deal. People don’t just buy products; they build relationships. That means brands must go beyond transactions. They need to:
Communicate transparently
Deliver on promises
Offer responsive, localized support
These human touches are what turn a one-time buyer into a long-term fan.
Community & Social Proof
Community plays a key role. Consumers often lean on peer reviews, influencer opinions, and social validation before making decisions. Brands that build communities—through forums, fan events, or ambassador programs—create spaces where customers feel like they belong.
The Gen Z Factor
Image from freepik. Gen Z women looking at a smartphone
China’s Gen Z (ages 14–28) makes up nearly 19% of the population and has a significant influence. They’re cautious with spending (thanks to economic uncertainty), but they care deeply about:
Value for money
Sustainability
Self-expression
Cultural authenticity
They expect brands to align with their identity, offer creative, personalized digital experiences, and demonstrate real-world values—not just polish.
So, loyalty for this group isn’t automatic. It’s earned through relevance, trust, and shared purpose.
The Tech Stack Behind Loyalty: Super-Apps, E‑Commerce, and Smart Integration
Loyalty in China today relies on a sophisticated tech stack that connects digital services—messaging, payments, shopping, rewards—into seamless experiences.
Super-App Ecosystems
Super-app platforms offer multiple services within a single interface—messaging, payments, mini-apps, and more. These ecosystems dominate the loyalty landscape because users interact with them daily for everything from buying to chatting.
China’s e-commerce is almost entirely mobile-first. More than 82% of consumers engage with loyalty rewards directly through mobile apps—earning, tracking, and redeeming points via everyday digital touchpoints.
Loyalty platforms and software solutions based in the cloud are growing fast. Some estimates show China will take 37% of all loyalty software revenue in Asia-Pacific in 2024, and cloud-based loyalty tools will expand at a 19.4% CAGR.
AI-Driven Personalization and Analytics
Advanced AI and data analytics power modern loyalty programs in China. Companies analyze behavior at scale to trigger rewards, tailor offers, and even map out user journeys based on sequences of past actions. These systems learn quickly and adapt incentives, making loyalty feel relevant and timely rather than one-size-fits-all.
Smart Integration Across Touchpoints
Loyalty initiatives aren’t stuck in one part of the user journey—they span payments, messaging, shopping, and physical retail. Points or rewards can be earned via QR codes, redeemed within mini-programs, or triggered by purchase behaviors. This integration removes barriers and makes loyalty participation nearly invisible to consumers.
Overall, this tech stack—built on super-app ecosystems, mobile-first e-commerce, AI-powered personalization, and seamless cross-channel integration—turns loyalty into an embedded part of daily life, rather than an isolated campaign.
Customer Loyalty in China: The Role of Different Platforms
Image from freepik. Influencer promoting products to build brand loyalty
In China, digital platforms don’t just support loyalty—they are the loyalty system. Everything from rewards to payments to customer service lives inside a tightly woven web of apps and ecosystems.
It’s all seamless. There is no app-switching or confusion—just a smooth journey that engages users.
Weibo
Weibo remains a key space for social proof. Brands use it to:
Launch loyalty campaigns tied to hashtags
Collaborate with influencers for product drops
Track user feedback and sentiment in real time
When people feel part of a conversation—and see others getting value—they’re more likely to join and stay loyal.
JD.com and Vipshop
JD Plus and Vipshop SVIP reward users who shop regularly. Members get:
faster delivery
exclusive discounts
early access to sales or limited items
These perks turn regular shoppers into long-term members. With digital payments and order tracking built into the same app, loyalty becomes part of the shopping experience—not an extra program.
Douyin, RedNote
Short-form video and live shopping dominate with Gen Z. Apps like Douyin (TikTok China) and RedNote combine influencer content, real-time interaction, and direct buying links. They blur the line between entertainment and e‑commerce—turning casual scrollers into committed customers.
Together, these platforms make loyalty a lifestyle. The key? Consistency across touchpoints—so no matter where a customer is, they feel seen, rewarded, and valued.
What Brands Can Learn from China’s Loyalty Platforms
China’s top digital platforms don’t just host loyalty programs—they show how to make them work. Here’s what global brands can take away:
Show up where customers already are: Loyalty doesn’t need a separate app. WeChat and JD.com succeed because they embed rewards, payments, and service into platforms people already use daily.
Keep it seamless: The less effort required, the better. Chinese platforms make earning and redeeming rewards feel effortless—no app switching, no extra steps.
Tap into social proof: Weibo and Douyin thrive on visible loyalty. When people see others benefiting—through hashtags, livestreams, or shoutouts—they’re more likely to engage.
Reward consistency, not just big spenders: Programs like JD Plus reward shoppers for frequency, not just volume. Recognizing everyday engagement builds longer-term habits.
Blend loyalty with content and entertainment: Loyalty feels fun when tied to videos, livestreams, and community moments. Platforms like Douyin make rewards part of the experience.
Use data to personalize the journey: The best programs aren’t one-size-fits-all. These platforms use behavior data to deliver tailored offers that feel relevant, not random.
The big takeaway: Loyalty doesn’t need to be loud or flashy—it just needs to feel natural, rewarding, and built into people’s digital lives.
Real-World Examples: How Top Brands Nail Loyalty in China
These companies aren’t just surviving in China’s cutthroat market—they’re thriving, thanks to loyalty strategies that work.
Meituan: AI‑powered coupon engine across food & services
Meituan delivers personalized coupons in under 50ms using AI models that estimate each user’s response and conversion likelihood.
Users get coupons tied directly to their behavior—browsing, ordering frequency, and map location. The system selects a coupon value optimized for each user and campaign budget.
Serving 100 million+ users across 110+ cities, the system added CNY 8 million ($1,114,540) in extra profit annually through higher conversion, repeat orders, and satisfaction.
Why it works: Hyper-personal relevance lowers friction and turns loyalty into an immediate reward rather than delayed points.
Haier: Loyalty Through Listening
In 2025, Haier launched its three-drum “lazybones” washer after users asked for a way to separate underwear from regular laundry. The result? Over 88,000 presale orders at ¥4,999 ($690)—all sparked by customer feedback.
Product innovation from feedback: Haier turns user suggestions into real product features.
Examples that resonate: From underwear-friendly washers to produce-cleaning tubs, everyday needs drive design.
High-demand launches: Listening closely pays off in loyalty and early sales.
Why it works: People stay loyal when they feel heard—and see it reflected in the product.
Luckin Coffee: Loyalty with a Buzz
Luckin Coffee runs a fully app-based loyalty program that keeps users hooked with gamification and smart incentives. Frequent flash deals and discounts keep the momentum going, making the app part of customers’ daily habits.
Gamification and referral system: Customers earn free drinks by collecting stamps through purchases or referring friends.
Digital-first design: The entire program lives in the app, making it easy to access and use in China’s mobile-centric market.
Constant promotions: Limited-time discounts and flash sales drive repeat visits and daily engagement.
Why it works: Luckin turns loyalty into an easy, fun, and caffeinated habit.
Coach: Loyalty That Lives Inside WeChat
Coach took its loyalty game local by building it straight into WeChat, China’s go-to super app. Instead of a separate app, everything happens inside one familiar place—membership perks, shopping, even VIP support.
Coach runs creative seasonal campaigns (like Mother’s Day photo contests) to spark engagement, and their WeChat mini-program doubles as both a store and a customer service desk.
Personalized recommendations are baked into helping keep shoppers coming back.
Why it works: It meets Chinese consumers where they already are—inside WeChat. Loyalty is not a separate step—it’s part of the everyday flow.
Alibaba: All-In on Membership
Alibaba’s 88VIPprogram is a masterclass in loyalty integration with 46 million members:
Members pay an annual fee of ¥ $888 ($123.73) for perks on Tmall, Taobao, Youku, and more.
Benefits include deeper discounts, priority shipping, free streaming, and personalized recommendations.
Results? 88VIP members spend 30% more during big sales events and renew at an 83% rate. The program helped boost Tmall brand partnerships by 300%.
It’s not just a rewards card—it’s a lifestyle subscription that spans Alibaba’s entire ecosystem.
Yum China / KFC China: Massive Digital Membership (2024)
As of March 31, 2024, Yum China had amassed 540 million loyalty members, supported by a digital-first model where 90% of orders came through online channels in 2024.
Delivery sales grew by 16% year over year, and operating profit rose 15% in Q4 2024, reflecting how sustained loyalty initiatives fuel financial performance.
Why it works: Segmenting loyalty lets KFC offer the correct value to the right audience—building daily habits and deeper retention.
Challenges Brands Face in Building Consumer Loyalty in China
Image from unlimphotos. Scanning a QR code with a smartphone.
High Competition and Saturation
The Chinese market is crowded with domestic and international brands. Consumers can switch easily through apps, and categories like food, beverages, and apparel see high brand‑switching rates. Livestream commerce and social shopping intensify the battle for attention.
Fast‑paced Market Trends
Chinese consumer preferences change rapidly, influenced by pop culture, technology, and social media. Brands must monitor trends and adapt quickly—long product cycles or rigid programs risk obsolescence. Reports highlight how Douyin’s shift from low prices to sustainable growth and the rise of livestream shopping require agile strategies.
Counterfeit Products and Trust Issues
China’s counterfeit market is estimated at hundreds of billions of dollars; low‑quality fakes damage brand reputations and reduce trust. Counterfeit goods erode brand trust and reduce loyalty; poor-quality fakes cause customers to associate negative experiences with authentic brands, leading to lost trust and loyalty.
Brands must invest in brand protection, anti-counterfeiting technology, and clear communication to safeguard consumer confidence.
Regulatory Complexities
Data protection laws like the Personal Information Protection Law (PIPL) and evolving e‑commerce regulations require compliance. Businesses must balance personalised marketing with privacy, ensuring data is handled ethically.
Future Trends in Chinese Consumer Loyalty
Image from freepik. Friends influenced by social recommendations and peer reviews
Influence of Gen Z and Millennials
Younger consumers seek products that combine functionality with personal identity and ethical value. Gen Z values sustainability and self‑expression; they research products via social media, plan purchases during major shopping festivals, and are willing to engage with brands that offer authenticity and personalised experiences.
To resonate with them, brands should incorporate cultural elements, social responsibility, and interactive content.
AI and Data‑Driven Loyalty
Businesswire predicts that loyalty programs will increasingly leverage AI to analyse customer data, deliver hyper‑targeted rewards, and predict behavior.
Companies that invest in AI-driven personalisation and gamification will gain an edge. Real‑time analytics will enable dynamic pricing, personalised promotions, and predictive churn management.
Sustainability and Ethical Concerns
As Chinese consumers become more environmentally conscious, brands integrate green initiatives into loyalty programs. Businesswire highlights Alibaba’s Ant Forest initiative on Alipay, which rewards users for eco‑friendly actions.
Government policies such as the Dual Carbon goals encourage businesses to align with sustainability; companies incorporating green incentives and transparency can gain a competitive advantage.
However, a systematic review of Chinese cultural values cautions that while sustainability is appreciated, it may be subordinate to other cultural values or product attributes, so brands should balance eco‑initiatives with functional value.
Want Real-World Loyalty Insights from the China Market?
Ashley Dudarenok
In China, loyalty is built inside ecosystems—WeChat, Douyin, RED—not in isolated apps or outdated CRM funnels. Ashley Dudarenok works with leadership teams to reshape their approach to customer retention in China.
Through her keynotes and strategic sessions, Ashley helps brands:
Understand what loyalty looks like for China’s Gen Z, silver consumers, and digital-first shoppers
Identify how to activate loyalty through social communities, private traffic, and emotional reward systems
Analyze real cases from local disruptors using platform-native tools to lock in customer lifetime value
Build culturally aligned loyalty journeys that feel local—but perform globally
Invite Ashley to speak on Loyalty Innovation in China’s Digital Ecosystem.Book Ashley as your keynote speaker to future-proof your customer experience strategy.
FAQs about What is Consumer Loyalty
What is consumer loyalty in marketing?
Consumer loyalty refers to a customer’s ongoing preference for a brand, which results in repeat purchases and advocacy. In China, loyalty increasingly relies on digital engagement, personalised experiences, and community building.
How does consumer loyalty differ from brand loyalty?
Brand loyalty is more emotionally driven—customers identify with a brand’s values or status. Consumer loyalty emphasises repeat buying behaviour and may be motivated by convenience, rewards, or price. The distinction between functional benefits and social proof is blurred in China, as it heavily influences decisions.
Why is consumer loyalty important for businesses?
Loyal customers spend more, cost less to serve, and advocate for the brand. They are crucial in China’s saturated market, where customer acquisition costs are high and average shoppers use multiple channels.
What factors influence consumer loyalty in China?
Key drivers include personalised experiences, trust, product quality, value-for-money, social proof, and integration with digital platforms like WeChat and Douyin. Cultural values (guanxi, group influence) and gamification also play roles.
How do Chinese consumers’ behaviors impact brand loyalty?
Chinese consumers increasingly prioritize functional benefits and value over brand prestige. They switch brands more easily, seek deals through group buying and social shopping, and respond strongly to influencer recommendations.
What role do digital platforms play in building consumer loyalty in China?
Super‑apps like WeChat and Alipay, social platforms like Douyin and Weibo, and e‑commerce giants like Taobao and JD.com enable seamless purchasing, personalised recommendations, and gamified rewards. Integration across these platforms allows consumers to earn and redeem rewards everywhere.
How can brands personalize experiences to enhance loyalty among Chinese consumers?
Brands can use AI and data analytics to segment customers, predict preferences, and deliver targeted rewards. Examples include AI‑curated homepages, chatbots, facial‑recognition checkouts, and dynamic pricing. Gamified tasks and tiered programs encourage engagement.
What are the challenges in maintaining consumer loyalty in China?
High competition, rapidly changing trends, counterfeit goods that erode trust, regulatory hurdles, and the cost of personalisation make loyalty difficult to sustain. Brands must continuously innovate and protect their reputations.
How do loyalty programs in China differ from those in other markets?
Chinese loyalty programs often integrate gamification, social sharing and coalition models. They operate within super‑apps and offer rewards across multiple services (shopping, streaming, travel). Tiered programs emphasise exclusivity and status.
What impact does influencer marketing have on consumer loyalty in China?
Influencers and Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs) significantly shape purchasing decisions. More than 90 % of consumers trust recommendations from real people. Livestream shopping allows immediate interaction and drives loyalty through exclusive deals and authenticity.
How can brands build trust to foster loyalty among Chinese consumers?
Provide high-quality products, deliver reliable customer service, and maintain transparency about sourcing and business practices. Investing in local partnerships and respecting cultural norms (guanxi) helps build personal relationships. Brands should also combat counterfeit goods to protect their reputation.
What future trends are shaping consumer loyalty in China?
Key trends include the growth of AI-driven personalization, expansion of subscription and gamified programs, rising influence of Gen Z and millennials, and integration of sustainability into loyalty programs. Businesses that leverage these trends while aligning with cultural values will succeed.
What Is Cultural Innovation? Definition & Real Examples
Jul 30, 2025
In 2024, China’s cultural industry reached an all‑time high of ¥19.14 trillion (around US$2.67 trillion), growing more than 7 percent over the previous year. That surge isn’t just about preserving the past—it’s about reimagining it. So, what is cultural innovation? In China, it’s the transformation of heritage through tech, design, and digital media—turning folk stories, traditional fashion, and classic art into vibrant, modern experiences.
This post explores how cultural innovation reshapes everything from gaming to fashion, why it matters in 2025, and what global brands and creatives can learn from China’s approach.
Key Takeaways
Here’s a brief overview of the following article:
Definition of Cultural Innovation: In China, cultural innovation means blending traditional elements—like fashion, art, and storytelling—with modern technology to create new cultural formats that appeal to today’s audiences.
Driving Forces Behind the Trend: Government policy, youth creativity, and digital infrastructure are accelerating this movement, making heritage more interactive, accessible, and globally relevant.
Examples of Cultural Innovation: Popular formats include AI-enhanced kung fu films, short-form mobile dramas, virtual hanfu fashion, and hybrid art projects combining AI with folk design.
Role of Youth and Tech: Gen Z creators, livestream culture, and platforms like Douyin and RedNote are essential in remixing culture and making it trend-ready for domestic and international audiences.
Impact on Industries and Identity: Cultural innovation is reshaping fashion, tourism, media, and consumer goods while boosting soft power and redefining how Chinese identity is shared worldwide.
Expert Insight Available: Ashley Dudarenok provides data-backed context and media support for projects focused on China’s cultural transformation. Contact her team for expert collaboration.
What Is Cultural Innovation?
Image from unlimphotos. China Culture Exhibition
Cultural innovation in China means reshaping traditional cultural assets—like craft, dress, oral storytelling, and regional performance—through modern media, tech, and design formats so that culture continues to speak to today’s audiences.
It involves creatively transforming heritage into formats like AI-driven archives, interactive VR exhibits, fashion collaborations, immersive video, and micro‑dramas—all designed with modern aesthetics and platforms.
Cultural innovation can show up in all kinds of ways:
Turning folk tales into blockbuster movies.
Blending ancient art styles with cutting-edge digital tools.
Reinventing traditional clothing into trendy streetwear.
It’s different from cultural preservation, which focuses on keeping things exactly as they were. Innovation adds a twist: “How can we take this and make something new?”
To get a clearer picture, look at K-pop in South Korea. It fuses traditional Korean aesthetics with global music trends and slick production, making it a worldwide cultural export. China’s doing something similar, but with its flavor.
What Makes it Different:
Policy-driven: It aligns with China’s national cultural strategy, especially the “creative transformation and innovative development” framework highlighted in the 14th Five-Year Plan.
Platform-adapted: Instead of only performing on stage or displaying in museums, traditional culture now appears in mobile-first video, VR/AR exhibitions, livestreams, and e-commerce.
Globally aware, locally rooted: Projects often reference traditional aesthetics and symbolism while adapting formats to global trends, such as short dramas, designer collaborations, or AI-generated visuals.
This model forms part of China’s evolving “cultural operating system,” a term scholars and policymakers use to describe how legacy culture is systematically reshaped to contribute to national identity, digital culture, and global influence.
Key Drivers Behind China’s Cultural Innovation
Image from unlimphotos. folk cultural festival celebrating Chinese New Year in Beijing
Cultural innovation in China is advancing fast, and that acceleration isn’t random. Distinct forces across government planning, tech infrastructure, business strategies, and youth subcultures are shaping it.
In 2024, China’s cultural industry profits totaled ¥1.773.7 trillion ($247.1 billion), a 7.9% increase. Investment in R&D by large cultural enterprises rose to ¥162.5 billion ($22.6 billion), up 1.7%. In comparison, 34.8% of cultural‑industry revenue came from “new format” businesses—areas focused on digital, immersive, and interactive content, growing 12.4% faster than overall industry growth.
Government Strategy & Policy Support
China’s 14th Five-Year Plan emphasizes creative transformation and innovative development of cultural heritage. At the end of 2024, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism rolled out 11 new national technology innovation centers, each focused on smart tourism, immersive exhibits, and digital service platforms. These centers brought together nearly 1,000 professionals and invested over 100 million yuan.
Many of these programs are tied directly to tourism, film, gaming, and cross-border e-commerce, creating a pipeline that links policy to production and audience engagement.
The government’s role goes beyond funding—it defines the cultural direction. Official guidance emphasizes cultural confidence, heritage preservation, and “telling China’s story well,” turning creativity into an instrument of diplomacy and national branding.
Tech‑Culture Fusion & Digital Transformation
Technology isn’t just helping distribute culture—it’s changing how it’s made. In 2025, China will lead the world in immersive digital formats. From AI-generated scripts to AR-enhanced exhibitions and virtual influencers promoting ancient poems, creators now have access to tools that were out of reach just a few years ago.
Micro-dramas (short‑form trending series) saw massive global uptake—370 million downloads by early 2025, with in-app revenue hitting $700 million, a 500% jump from the previous year. These bite-sized, vertical episodes leverage cliffhangers and localized storytelling to engage international users quickly. Their success is fueling China’s cultural export wave and strengthening its soft power narrative.
AI is also remastering classics. Tools are being used to restore black-and-white kung-fu films, revoice them in regional dialects, and even insert 3D effects. These remakes are pulling in younger audiences who never touched the originals. That mix of old and new is exactly what cultural innovation is built on.
Brand & Creative Ecosystems
Image from unlimphotos. Cultural Exhibition in Shenzhen
Luxury brands in China are turning to local culture as a design foundation, not just a theme.
In 2025, BEAST opened its “China Atelier” in Shanghai. The store features products based on Quanzhou bead embroidery, tin carving, and Song brocade. These are packaged into seasonal releases like scented sachets and homewear, tied directly to intangible cultural heritage.
At Shanghai Fashion Week 2025, designers like Damowang, Angel Chen, Labelhood, and Yayi showcased collections that combine traditional craftsmanship with modern fashion. Angel Chen used ethnic embroidery in streetwear; Labelhood spotlighted 16 emerging designers mixing heritage with experimental design.
This shift reflects consumer behavior: over 38% of Gen Z in Chinasay they prefer products linked to local culture over generic luxury.
Regional creative hubs—like Shenzhen and Chengdu—support these efforts through design labs, partnerships, and scaled production.
Grassroots & Youth‑Led Movements
Cultural innovation isn’t just coming from boardrooms or ministries. It’s being shaped by everyday people—especially young ones. Trends like Hanfu fashion, Gen Z fan fiction communities, and regional dialect revival videos aren’t centrally planned, but they’re powerful drivers of attention, influence, and even commerce.
Young creators use platforms to blend fashion, makeup, and culture into micro-communities that now shape what “Chinese cool” means.
Grassroots content is also crossing borders. Chinese creators exporting short films, dance videos, or memes based on traditional themes are helping reshape global views of Chinese culture—without needing permission or funding from big institutions.
Real Examples & Case Studies (2024–2025)
Image from canva. Group of women in Hanfu dresses
Hanfu Revival Movement
The hanfu movement is a grassroots cultural shift driven by young Chinese consumers who are reintroducing traditional Han Chinese clothing into modern life. Inspired by dynastic styles from the Han, Tang, Song, and Ming eras, hanfu is worn today as fashion, cultural statement, and identity expression.
It’s not government-directed or commercially seeded—it grew from student communities, cosplay culture, and social media creators, evolving into a full-scale cultural industry.
What’s Happening in 2024–2025
Cao County in Shandong has become the national hanfu production and innovation hub. In 2024, hanfu-related sales in the county surpassed ¥12 billion ($1.65 billion), representing over 50% of the domestic market. A local hanfu expo introduced over 600 new designs from 160+ companies and 320 brands, spotlighting traditional and contemporary aesthetics.
By Q1 2025, hanfu sales in Cao County reached ¥3.14 billion ($436 million), reflecting a 15.8% year-on-year increase. These numbers are driven by domestic buyers and growing exports to Southeast Asia, Australia, and Europe—enabled by the region’s vertically integrated supply chain.
Why it Matters
Hanfu’s popularity shows how digital platforms and community identity can revive heritage without top-down mandates. Gen Z creators promote Hanfu styling on Douyin, RedNote, and Bilibili, framing it as everyday wear—not cosplay or ritual.
What’s new in 2025 is the rise of virtual Hanfu: augmented-reality filters and avatar styling on Douyin and RedNote let users “try on” Hanfu digitally. Over 42 million users engaged with these filters in early 2025, helping spread the style globally. Hanfu now lives on the streets and in digital wardrobes, expanding its reach through virtual fashion collabs and livestream culture.
AI‑Enhanced Cultural Media
The AI-enhanced cultural media movement refers to efforts to restore and modernize classic Chinese films, especially martial-arts archives, using artificial intelligence. The aim is to preserve narrative integrity while upgrading audiovisual quality and to make heritage content feel fresh for younger audiences.
In mid-2025, the China Film Foundation launched its “Kung Fu Film Heritage Project,” restoring over 100 iconic martial-arts films, including Fist of Fury.
As part of this initiative, a fully AI-animated remake titled A Better Tomorrow: Cyber Border premiered at the Shanghai International Film Festival. Created by a nimble team of around 30, production took months instead of years—signifying what rapid cultural iteration can look like today.
Why it’s Significant
This approach leverages AI to amplify cultural narratives without erasing their original context. Restored classics retain iconic fight sequences and emotional beats, while upgraded resolution, sound, and digital effects make them accessible to Gen Z.
The initiative has sparked debate around authenticity and boosted viewership—some streaming platforms saw up to a 35% increase in viewership of classic titles post-release.
What it Teaches Us
AI can support heritage rather than overwrite it. When done carefully, tech-enhanced restoration becomes a bridge between generations—modernizing legacy content for new audiences while maintaining emotional and national pride symbolism.
Duanju Short‑Form Dramas
Duanju (short-form micro-dramas) are vertical, bite-sized episodes—typically 1–6 minutes each—designed for mobile-first audiences. Packed with cliffhangers, exaggerated tropes, and fast pacing, they’re meant to be addictive and shareable.
By the end of 2024, domestic viewership reached 662 million, and the micro-drama market generated ¥50.5 billion ($6.9 billion), surpassing China’s traditional film box office for the first time.
In Q1 2025, revenue hit ¥24 billion ($3.3 billion), up 23% quarter-on-quarter, driven by over 259 million global installs (a 64% increase from Q4 2024).
What Makes Duanju Culturally Innovative?
Narrative mechanics: Faced-paced storytelling with frequent twists—often rags-to-riches or revenge themes—crafted to trigger micro-cliffhangers and encourage auto-play bingeing.
Financial model: Free initial episodes followed by paid subscriptions or in-app purchases for subsequent ones. High ad volumes and low production costs (most shoots within two weeks).
Export-ready storytelling: Platforms like ReelShort and DramaBox tailor duanju for global audiences by localizing scripts rather than just dubbing—adjusting setting and character norms to match regional culture while retaining the cliffhanger format.
Why it Matters
Duanju represents a next-gen cultural export: fast, cheap, and made for mobile virality. It’s a format designed with analytics and retention curves in mind, but wrapped in culturally flavored narratives that make Chinese storytelling accessible to global audiences.
A recent iResearch survey found that 68% of overseas viewers said duanju dramas improved their perception of modern Chinese culture, underscoring its soft power potential.
AI Art & Heritage Hybrid Projects
A 2025 research study used DeepSeek + MidJourney to reimagine Yangliuqing woodblock prints with COVID‑themed visuals while staying true to traditional design.
This hybrid method produced the lowest mean Fréchet Inception Distance (FID) scoreof 150.2, indicating the highest cultural fidelity. Participants (N=62) rated these AI-enhanced versions as more likely to share and promote than pure AI or untouched prints.
Why it Matters
Rather than replace tradition, this model blends AI with cultural cues. The result is content that looks modern but still resonates emotionally and aesthetically. Participants’ willingness to recommend the AI-assisted artworks shows that this hybrid approach can make heritage feel relevant again without stripping its meaning.
Contemporary Art & Regional Identity: “Highland Art”
Image from unlimphotos. classic Chinese opera
In 2025, the Weland Museum of Contemporary Art in Lhasa introduced Highland Art, an aesthetic framework anchored in plateau light, stillness, and ritual. Exhibits combine Tibetan architectural logic, photography, sound, installation, and regional symbolism to craft a distinct visual identity emerging from high-altitude heritage.
Why it Matters
Highland Art deliberately bridges local culture with international contemporary art trends—rather than packaging Tibetan motifs for tourism, it maps them into modern spatial and sensory experiences.
The museum’s design (77 windows shaped after cowbells, carpets, and Buddhist ornamentation) embodies this concept in physical form, becoming a symbolic gesture of arts infrastructure rooted in regional heritage.
Ethnic Minorities & Cultural Sport Innovation
In December 2024, Hailaierke, a 25-year-old Yi ethnic fighter, shocked China’s MMA world by winning the JCK Bounty Tournament flyweight title—knocking out the favorite in under 40 seconds and earning ¥1 million in prize money ($139,300).
Why it Matters
Yi wrestlers carry centuries-old folk-wrestling traditions, now translated into a modern sport that brings cultural visibility and pride. Hailaierke’s rise reflects a broader trend: ethnic minority identities are narrated through competition, narrative media, and online fan communities.
Fighters from Yi, Kazakh, Tibetan, and Mongol groups are increasingly visible in national leagues and documentary features—redefining minority heritage through strength and modernity.
Cultural Innovation Outcomes & Benefits
Image from canva. Woman in traditional dress
Cultural innovation in China isn’t just producing viral trends—it’s creating long-term value across creative industries, social narratives, and global engagement. The impact in 2025 can be measured across five outcome dimensions:
Industrial Upgrading Across Creative Sectors
Cultural innovation is accelerating vertical integration and cross-industry value chains:
Supply chains are redesigned to serve agile cultural production—especially in fashion, animation, and publishing.
Content-to-commerce pipelines turn IP into revenue faster, with studios, livestreamers, and manufacturers working in sync.
Licensing ecosystems now support small creators through platform partnerships, allowing folklore, dialects, and symbols to enter commercial channels with fewer barriers.
Impact: Culture no longer operates on the fringes—it is embedded in how products are designed, distributed, and monetized across industries.
Expanded Middle-Class Participation in Cultural Capital
While previous waves of cultural consumption skewed elite or state-driven, today’s innovation model pulls in China’s expanding middle class:
Affordable, localized formats—like themed cafés, regional heritage kits, or weekend museum passes—turn cultural participation into a lifestyle.
Family-centered programming, including parent-child AR tours and story-based festivals, makes cultural learning experiential and intergenerational.
Tier 2–4 cities are now central to cultural consumption, not just production, as infrastructure investments extend beyond coastal hubs.
Impact: Cultural access has widened, creating more demand and making heritage a mainstream economic engine—not a niche interest.
New Modes of Value Creation: Experience, Emotion, Identity
Cultural products are no longer valued solely by aesthetics or craftsmanship. In 2025, consumers pay for:
Emotional resonance: A handmade item linked to personal heritage or regional symbolism.
Narrative attachment: Stories behind the product—origin, folklore, or creator.
Collective meaning: Sharing content that reflects one’s beliefs, humor, or local pride.
Impact: Intangible value—meaning, nostalgia, identity—is systematically packaged into physical and digital goods. This shift reshapes how IP is priced, marketed, and retained.
Institutional Innovation in Museums, Archives, and Public Art
Image from unlimphotos. Woman trying virtual reality in museum
Major institutions are rethinking their role—not just as keepers of heritage, but as cultural R&D labs:
Curatorial innovation: Museums test rotating micro-exhibits tied to pop culture and livestream Q&As with young creators.
Digital collection models: Archives now license content for remixing, AI training, and public education through open-source platforms.
Urban cultural infrastructure: Public art spaces are integrated into transit hubs, malls, and parks, embedding heritage into daily experience.
Impact: Institutions are shedding static formats and taking active roles in innovation cycles—partnering with creators and iterating like startups.
Strategic Soft Power & Global Influence
Cultural innovation enables China to project identity in subtle, scalable ways:
Format-first diplomacy: Short dramas, folk-art games, or AI-curated exhibits shape how audiences abroad engage with China—without heavy messaging.
Cross-border fan ecosystems: Global fandoms for Chinese content form through shared aesthetics, not just language or politics.
Cultural data exports: Platforms like Tencent Video and Mango TV now supply foreign media partners with localized storytelling logic and user behavior patterns.
Impact: Culture becomes an operating system for influence—not just output but interface. Chinese creativity increasingly defines how the world engages with Asian identity.
Need Help Decoding China’s Cultural Innovation Engine?
If you’re exploring how tradition, tech, and soft power collide in China, Ashley Dudarenok offers something rare: commentary and context.
She’s worked with China’s leading platforms—from Alibaba to Pinduoduo—not as an outsider, but as part of internal advisory groups. That gives her visibility into how the country’s “cultural operating system” is built—top-down through policy, bottom-up through creators, and sideways through tech.
Ashley regularly supports international media, documentary teams, and creative industries with:
Firsthand insight on how Chinese platforms shape cultural formats (like micro-dramas, virtual hanfu, and AI-enhanced heritage content)
Deep knowledge of Gen Z consumption and cultural remixing, rooted in years of field research and platform observation
Clear explanation of how culture, commerce, and national storytelling intersect in today’s China—without flattening the nuance
Ashley has been featured in CNBC, The Wall Street Journal, BBC, and Campaign Asia, and advises global brands and media on what’s next in Chinese innovation.
Got a story or media project in the works? Contact Ashley’s team today and bring China’s cultural innovation to life clearly, accurately, and energetically.
FAQs on What is Cultural Innovation?
What is cultural innovation in China?
Cultural innovation in China means reimagining traditional arts, stories, and practices through modern technology, design, and media. Instead of preserving culture in static forms, creators remix it into new formats like AI-enhanced films, fashion collaborations, short dramas, and immersive exhibits.
The goal is to make heritage relevant, engaging, and economically sustainable for today’s audiences—especially younger, digital-first generations.
Why is cultural innovation important for China’s future?
Cultural innovation helps China strengthen its national identity, diversify its economy, and expand its global soft power. It aligns tradition with digital infrastructure, turning heritage into a driver of active growth, creativity, and social cohesion.
By reshaping how culture is produced and consumed, China ensures its legacy continues to evolve. It resonates with domestic youth while engaging international audiences through compelling, export-ready formats.
How does China blend tradition with modern innovation?
China combines historical aesthetics, stories, and values with emerging tools like AI, AR, livestreaming, and e-commerce. This fusion appears in vertical micro-dramas based on folklore, digital remasters of martial arts films, or Hanfu fashion lines launched through RED and Douyin.
The result is not replication, but transformation—where traditional content finds new purpose across platforms, industries, and user experiences.
What are some real-life examples of cultural innovation in China?
Examples include the Hanfu revival movement, AI-enhanced kung fu film restorations, and the explosion of duanju short dramas. Museums now host AR exhibits and livestreamed performances, while brands collaborate with artisans to create culturally rooted home goods and apparel.
Highland Art reinterprets Tibetan heritage into contemporary visual frameworks in Lhasa, blending local identity with global artistic norms.
How is the Chinese government supporting cultural innovation?
Through its 14th Five-Year Plan and cultural technology initiatives, the Chinese government funds innovation centers, smart tourism pilots, and immersive content labs. Policies encourage creative transformation of heritage and offer IP protection for traditional knowledge. Government agencies also shape narrative direction by promoting “cultural confidence” and backing projects that merge national storytelling with commercial scalability.
What technologies are driving cultural innovation in China?
Key technologies include AI for film restoration and content generation, AR/VR for immersive museum and tourism experiences, and algorithm-driven content delivery through platforms.
Cloud infrastructure supports rapid production of short-form dramas, while digital twins and blockchain secure provenance for craft-based goods. These tools make heritage accessible, customizable, and highly distributable.
What role does Gen Z play in China’s cultural innovation?
Gen Z is both creator and consumer. Young people use platforms to reimagine tradition through memes, fashion, and micro-video.
Many movements—like Hanfu or dialect revival—began as grassroots youth subcultures before scaling into industries. Gen Z’s remix culture turns heritage into everyday expression, making tradition trend-friendly without losing meaning.
Which industries are most impacted by cultural innovation in China?
The biggest transformations have occurred in fashion, entertainment, tourism, digital media, and consumer goods. Designers integrate heritage motifs into seasonal lines, while streaming platforms develop culturally rooted short dramas.
Tourism operators offer AR-powered heritage trails, and FMCG brands create products tied to festivals or folklore. These industries now treat culture as both an aesthetic and an economic asset.
How are Chinese brands using culture in their marketing?
Brands localize campaigns by embedding traditional symbols, stories, and crafts into product design and storytelling. Examples include packaging based on ancient myths, collaborations with regional artisans, or limited editions timed with cultural festivals.
Gen Z prefers brands that reflect authentic cultural roots, pushing companies to shift from generic luxury to heritage-driven differentiation.
What are “duanju” short dramas, and why are they popular?
“Duanju” are short-form Chinese dramas, usually 1–3 minutes per episode, designed for mobile viewing. They’re popular for their fast-paced plots, bingeable length, and platform integration with apps like Douyin and Kuaishou.
These dramas appeal to younger viewers with limited time and are often low-cost to produce, making them a hit for content creators and platforms looking to maximize engagement and ad revenue.
How is China preserving intangible heritage through tech?
China uses digital and immersive technology to preserve intangible cultural heritage by creating virtual experiences, digital archives, and AI‑powered exhibitions. Highlights include Baidu’s AI-based Intangible Cultural Heritage Museum in Chengdu, where AI avatars simulate traditional artisans Virtual reality and AR tools for opera makeup guidance and lantern‑festival filters in Jiangsu Knowledge graphs and deep learning to document Miao batik culture, and digital archives and VR displays for shadow puppetry and paper‑cutting arts.
These efforts ensure broader access, youth engagement, and long‑term transmission.
What are the most significant cultural innovation trends in China for 2025?
In 2025, China’s top cultural innovation trends include AI-powered heritage tools, neo-Chinese fashion, the revival of hanfu, immersive experiences with digital humans, and brands embedding traditional crafts into products.
These trends blend tradition with tech, appealing to Gen Z’s cultural pride while boosting innovation in fashion, tourism, and retail.
Customer Centricity Examples That Define Business Innovation in China
Jul 23, 2025
Customer centricity in China is not a layer added to business strategy. The core drives how products are built, services are delivered, and data is translated into action. The most competitive Chinese companies treat every interaction as a signal and every signal as an opportunity to create deeper value. This article presents customer centricity examples beyond generic CRM tactics or loyalty schemes. In fact, many leading Chinese companies are moving toward Social CRM models that merge customer data, social engagement, and real-time interaction into a single system.
These are real-time, system-level responses to behavior, preference, and context, shaped by the demands of the world’s most digitally active consumers.
Chinese brands do not guess what customers want. They build systems that learn, test, and evolve continuously.
Here is how leading platforms in China turn behavioral signals into a business structure:
Key Takeaways
Here’s a brief overview of the following article:
Definition of Customer Centricity in China: Customer centricity is not a marketing tactic but a business foundation that drives how Chinese companies build, deliver, and evolve their products and services.
Platform-Wide Application of Feedback: Leading brands like Alibaba, JD.com, and Xiaomi use real-time data and customer behavior to improve logistics, product design, personalization, and service interactions.
Customer Loyalty is built Through Experience, Not Incentives. Loyalty is built by reducing friction, respecting users’ time, and solving real-life pain points, like Taobao’s simplified discounts and JD’s 24-hour delivery system.
Technology That Learns and Responds: From AI-powered shopping assistants to IoT-connected logistics, companies use tech to anticipate needs and remove hassle before it occurs.
Inclusive Design for Diverse Users: Platforms like Pinduoduo and China Mobile focus on affordability, rural delivery, and intelligent networks that make services accessible across income levels.
Contact Ashley Dudarenok to explore how your business can apply these strategies and build customer-centric systems that genuinely work.
Customer Centricity Examples from Alibaba: Commerce, Logistics, and Cloud
Image from Unlimphotos. Alibaba app on mobile
Alibaba’s transformation in 2024 and 2025 offers one of the clearest examples of customer centricity at scale. Across its commerce platforms, logistics infrastructure, and cloud services, Alibaba has shifted its focus from acquisition to experience.
The company is simplifying how people shop and redesigning how merchants serve, parcels move, and real-time data flows between every layer. Each improvement stems from a simple commitment: listen to customer signals and build around them.
Putting Users Back at the Center
In 2024, Alibaba’s leadership pivoted toward a simpler goal. Improve the experience for users who already shop on Taobao and Tmall. Not through more features or louder campaigns, but by eliminating friction built up over the years.
The company’s e-commerce division, now known as Taotian Group, moved quickly. Discounts were unified, and app clutter was removed. During the 618 festival in 2024, Taobao cancelled pre-sale schemes that used to confuse users with deposits, final payments, and delayed shipments.
For the first time in years, people praised the platform for becoming easier to use.
Small changes added up. The homepage was simplified, and app load time dropped sharply. A new price display format removed the need to decode overlapping offers, so shoppers could now view all their discounts in one place. Feedback was immediate.
Taobao’s daily active users rose by 22.9% in the first phase of the 618 campaign. For millions of users, shopping started to feel normal again.
Personalization That Goes Beyond Product
Alibaba introduced a new layer of personalization through Taobao Wenwen. This AI assistant, powered by Qwen, doesn’t just make recommendations. It answers questions, compares products, and guides people toward what they actually want.
Wenwen works directly inside the Taobao app. During shopping festivals, it also helps users combine vouchers and deals for better savings.
Beyond search and guidance, personalization reached the service layer, too. In April 2024, Taobao gave its 88VIP members unlimited return shipping, covering up to RMB 25 ($3.48) per return.
This was not a gimmick. It solved a real pain point for frequent buyers, especially in categories like clothing. Signups surged. Gen Z membership rose by over 500% that month.
These updates show Alibaba’s shift. Instead of pushing loyalty through points or perks, it builds loyalty by removing hassle. The platform makes it easier to get a refund. It shows users how to save money. It adapts its tone and tools based on the person, not just the product.
Helping Merchants Serve Better, Not Just Sell More
Customer centricity doesn’t stop with shoppers. It extends to how Alibaba equips its merchants. In early 2024, Taobao and Tmall released a full suite of AI tools to help brands operate more efficiently and connect better with their audiences.
Over 20,000 home and furniture brands began using virtual photo studio features that generate custom product imagery. These tools helped create more than 900,000 images by April. Compared to older visuals, they also increased click-through rates by 25%. For small businesses, this meant fewer expensive photo shoots and more engaging listings.
Taobao also launched Business Advisor, a real-time analytics dashboard that helps merchants track competitor trends and adjust their assortment based on customer behavior.
Another tool, Ali Xiaomi, became a favorite among merchants with limited staff. This AI-powered customer service assistant handled everything from product queries to exchange requests with smoother, faster replies.
The logic behind these tools was clear: Empower sellers to improve the full journey—from discovery to delivery. If the merchant experience improves, the customer experience improves, and the platform benefits without needing to cut margins to drive traffic.
Logistics That Understand Human Expectations
Cainiao, Alibaba’s logistics arm, plays a central role in the customer experience even if most users never see it. In 2024 and 2025, Cainiao used Alibaba Cloud to improve the accuracy, speed, and consistency of goods movement.
The platform processes over 9 trillion data points each day. More than 80% of delivery routes are optimized using algorithms, including city orders and deliveries in rural areas.
One minor update had a big impact. Before the 2024 618 campaign, Taobao added Xinjiang to its free shipping zones. This wasn’t just a logistics decision. It removed a barrier that made certain users feel excluded.
On 20 May 2024, Xinjiang residents bought over 60,000 shirts and 10,000 sunscreen packs. One Henan user shared that, for the first time, he could send gifts to his girlfriend in Xinjiang without worrying about cost or delay.
This level of care extended across the Cainiao network. Delivery lockers in rural villages, powered by IoT, allowed secure package pickup even in areas without staffed post offices. Real-time package tracking became standard. When people know where their items are and when they will arrive, they trust the platform more.
Instant Commerce That Meets Daily Needs
In May 2025, Alibaba pushed into quick commerce with real volume. Its new Instant Commerce portal on Taobao logged over 40 million daily orders within a month. These were not just snacks or drinks.
Over 75% of orders included non-beverage products like skincare and electronics. The feature, powered by Ele.me’s delivery network, delivers most items within 60 minutes.
The internal approach changed, too. Success was no longer measured weekly. It was tracked daily and session-by-session. Alibaba began investing billions of RMB into flash sale campaigns and started integrating Ele.me directly into Taobao’s homepage. Open rates climbed. Order frequency increased.
Quick commerce is not just fast delivery. It is about matching the pace of how people live—a mother shopping between errands, a student restocking before a study group, a family preparing a last-minute celebration. Alibaba saw that speed, when done well, feels like care. It honors people’s time.
Platform-Level Connections That Close the Loop
In early 2025, Alibaba announced a new partnership with RedNote. This allowed users of China’s most lifestyle-focused content platform to shop directly on Taobao without leaving the app. The move reflected a core truth in today’s market: Customers don’t move in funnels. They move in loops, from inspiration to check out and back again.
By connecting Taobao’s commerce system with RedNote’s recommendation engine, Alibaba made it easier for users to act on what they discover. This seamless link is compelling in fast-moving categories like skincare, fashion, and household goods. It shortens the distance between a good idea and a good experience.
JD.com: Customer Centricity Examples in End-to-End Retail
Image from jdcorporateblog.com
Few companies in China take full responsibility for the customer experience the way JD.com does. Rather than acting as a marketplace that connects buyers and sellers, JD owns the entire journey, from product sourcing to last-mile delivery. This deep level of control is not about dominance. It is about reliability.
In recent years, JD has invested in systems that remove friction, anticipate user needs, and protect the integrity of every transaction. Its commitment to quality, speed, and service is not a marketing promise. It is built into how the business runs.
Direct Control That Builds Customer Trust
JD.com’s approach to customer centricity begins with control. While many platforms rely on third-party sellers, JD continues to operate its own inventory and logistics from start to finish. This 1P model gives the company a direct hand in quality, pricing, and service delivery.
More than 90% of JD’s retail orders arrive within 24 hours. That speed is not just a technical achievement. It is a trust signal. Users know their items will come quickly, in good condition, and without counterfeit risk.
JD.com has been named to Gartner’s Supply Chain Top 25. It remains the only Chinese retailer on that list. The recognition reflects the company’s ability to turn infrastructure into a customer promise. Behind the scenes, that promise is backed by:
Real-time inventory tracking
Same-day fulfillment
A logistics network that covers nearly every corner of China
Customer trust also extends into complex services. When China launched a national appliance trade-in program in 2024, JD built a system that allowed city-level execution in minutes. The interface was designed to be simple. The platform filtered out over 99% of scalpers. The program worked in regions with different rules, but the customer experience was unified.
Warehouses That Work in Real Time
Customer satisfaction often depends on what happens long before the product is shipped. JD’s Zhilang warehouse system, launched publicly in 2024, tripled order picking efficiency during Singles Day in Beijing. Robots retrieved items and delivered them directly to human operators. Storage density increased, error rates dropped, and customer wait times improved.
This focus on real-time fulfillment is not limited to one city. Across China, JD runs more than 40 advanced logistics parks. These facilities are powered by scheduling systems, sorting machines, and autonomous delivery vehicles that work alongside staff. The goal is simple. Get products to customers without delay, even during the busiest seasons.
JD rolled out a new inventory forecasting model called TimeHF at the system level. This billion-scale prediction engine improved planning accuracy by more than 10%. For customers, that means fewer out-of-stock notices and better delivery performance.
Retail Experiences That Learn From the User
In 2024, JD redesigned its app to improve clarity and reduce friction. The homepage now separates everyday needs from special offers.
Users can access cleaning services, mobile top-ups, or phone recycling with one scroll. A new message center allows smoother communication. Product pages load faster and present more relevant information up front.
This redesign was not cosmetic. It was built around how customers move through the app. New shoppers, busy parents, and repeat buyers now find what they need faster.
To further support the discovery, JD introduced Jingyan, a smart shopping assistant that more than 50 million people now use. Customers can ask for comparisons, request summaries of reviews, or get guidance on complex decisions. The tool is integrated across JD’s app, web, and mini-programs. For the user, it feels like a helpful guide rather than a promotion engine.
Merchant Tools That Make Personalization Scalable
JD’s focus on customer centricity extends to those selling on its platform. More than 350,000 merchants now use Jingdiandian, a content generation tool that creates videos, product copy, and images instantly. The system runs over 10 million times per day. It adjusts output based on customer behavior patterns, helping sellers tailor real-time messages.
Support goes beyond content. JD also launched a merchant assistant with one-second response times and over 90% decision accuracy. The tool helps with pricing, inventory planning, and customer service workflows.
This reduces guesswork and saves time for merchants. For customers, it translates into smoother operations and faster support.
Ecosystem Services That Match Everyday Needs
JD is no longer only a destination for physical goods. In 2025, the company launched JD Takeaway to compete in food delivery. Travel bookings were added shortly after. These moves reflect a growing focus on daily utility.
Users can now find meals, plan trips, and shop all in one ecosystem. The idea is to keep the experience coherent and connected, no matter what the customer is looking for.
Sustainability That Reflects Customer Values
In 2025, JD managed over 500 tons of carbon assets through its proprietary green technology platform. The company’s packaging systems saved paper equivalent to 20,000 trees. Smart logistics and reduced handling steps helped bring 100 million green orders to customers who care about sustainability but do not want to sacrifice speed.
These systems run quietly in the background. They reduce waste, optimize transport, and track carbon impact. For users, they are invisible. For JD, they are strategic. Green logistics is no longer a side benefit. It is part of the promise that JD delivers every day.
Xiaomi: Customer Centricity Examples in Loyalty and Ecosystem Integration
Image from mi.com
Xiaomi’s rise in China is not just a story of competitive pricing or sleek devices. It is a story of alignment between a company and its users. Xiaomi does not treat customers as passive recipients of products. It treats them as collaborators, testers, and long-term partners in innovation.
From community-led design to a lifestyle ecosystem that evolves with users’ needs, every part of Xiaomi’s model reflects a core belief. That trust is earned not by promises, but by clarity, convenience, and everyday value.
A Connected Ecosystem That Mirrors How Users Live
At the heart of Xiaomi’s customer experience is its growing suite of smart home, wearable, and personal tech—all connected through the Mi Home app and now the evolving Xiaomi HyperOS.
Users can control over 200 categories of devices from a single interface. But the real innovation lies in how these devices respond to each other. When you unlock your phone, the lights adjust and your preferred TV show plays. When your Mi Band senses you’re asleep, the air purifier shifts to night mode.
Xiaomi does not just sell connected gadgets. It delivers a synchronized lifestyle where the environment adapts to the user, not vice versa.
The EV Is Not Just a Car. It’s an Extension of the Xiaomi Ecosystem
Xiaomi’s leap into the electric vehicle space is not a pivot. It’s an expansion of the same user-first logic that powers its smartphones, smart homes, and wearables.
The SU7 and YU7 are not standalone machines. They are part of a larger, tightly integrated lifestyle framework that makes technology feel seamless, familiar, and personal.
With over 240,000 non-refundable orders for the YU7 SUV in 18 hours, and nearly 89,000 first-day bookings for the SU7 sedan, Xiaomi is not just competing—it’s resonating. The brand’s HyperOS platform connects these vehicles to Xiaomi’s existing ecosystem, allowing real-time synchronization with a user’s calendar, smart appliances, and personal habits.
The result is a user experience where your car knows your routine, mirrors your digital preferences, and speaks the same ecosystem language as your home. Whether it’s auto-adjusting cabin climate before your morning commute or pulling up the location of your next meeting on the route, Xiaomi EVs are designed to feel like a natural continuation of your digital life.
Even the displays inside the YU7 reflect Xiaomi’s design philosophy. The 1.1-meter-long HyperVision Panoramic Display spans the interior like an ambient extension of the Xiaomi tablet experience. Apple users, who account for 52% of YU7 buyers, benefit from deep integration with iOS devices, making the vehicle feel equally native to the Apple and Xiaomi universes.
Co-Created Innovation Through User Communities
Xiaomi built one of China’s most responsive user ecosystems by turning feedback into a product pipeline. Through platforms like MIJIA and bbs.xiaomi.cn customers are invited to propose ideas, vote on new features, and critique early prototypes.
These are not cosmetic gestures. For example, the Mi Electric Scooter’s enhanced battery life and durability directly responded to recurring user suggestions.
Community involvement is built into Xiaomi’s development rhythm. Users see their voices translated into software updates, hardware adjustments, and entire product lines. This cultivates not only loyalty but also a sense of shared ownership.
A Transparent Pricing Model That Earns Long-Term Trust
Xiaomi is one of the few major consumer brands that publicly commits to capping hardware profit margins. Its stated ceiling is 5%, and the company regularly reiterates this in financial briefings and consumer-facing content.
This approach sends a strong signal to customers. They are not being taken advantage of. Instead of building margins through upselling or hidden costs, Xiaomi focuses on:
Scale
Efficiency
Loyalty
In an environment where skepticism about tech pricing runs deep, Xiaomi’s transparency repositions the brand as an ally—not a merchant pushing products but a partner delivering fair value.
Timing Product Drops to Match Local Consumer Culture
Xiaomi doesn’t release new products on random dates. It times its biggest launches to align with China’s most emotionally charged e-commerce festivals—like JD.com’s 618 and Singles’ Day—moments already built into the country’s national shopping rhythm.
This strategy paid off again in 2025. During the first phase of this year’s 618 shopping festival, Xiaomi recorded over 16.9 billion yuan (USD 2.35 billion) in total transaction volume across all platforms.
It held the second spot on JD.com’s daily smartphone sales chart, just behind Apple, and was among over 40 major brands to surpass 100 million yuan (14 million USD) in sales within the first 13 days of the festival.
These moments aren’t just about flash sales or limited-stock deals. They are about entering the cultural flow of how China shops—through red packet discounts, social sharing, and celebratory buying. For Xiaomi, that means launching where and when attention is already peaking, using urgency not to pressure, but to participate.
The result is that new product drops feel less like corporate announcements and more like national events, celebrated by fans, shared by media, and measured in billions.
China Mobile: Customer Centricity Examples in Smart Networks
Image from China Mobile’s annual general meeting
Customer centricity demands more than strong coverage or fast speeds across a country as vast and diverse as China. It requires networks that think, services that adapt, and infrastructure that responds to how people live, move, and interact with digital tools.
China Mobile’s approach to innovation has become a clear reflection of this mindset. The company has moved beyond basic connectivity and into intelligent service delivery, where AI, automation, and infrastructure upgrades work together to serve everyday users and enterprise clients.
Each advancement is grounded in the same principle: to make the experience smoother, faster, smarter, and more attuned to the customer’s real needs.
Intelligent Networks That Sense and Respond in Real Time
China Mobile’s Intelligent RAN Parks are redefining mobile infrastructure for users. The network no longer waits for problems to occur. Instead, it senses, predicts, and resolves issues before the customer notices them.
This zero-touch model—built on principles like “zero-wait” and “zero-trouble”—allows for self-healing and self-optimizing responses that keep service disruptions to a minimum. The shift from reactive support to proactive care means users experience:
Fewer dropped calls
Faster service restoration
Consistently better performance without needing to report anything
Digital Avatars Streamline Support and Personalization
Behind the scenes, digital twin technology replicates network behavior in real time. This helps the system recognize poor performance patterns early and solve them before they escalate. The result is a service experience that feels adaptive, anticipatory, and deeply personalized.
Customer Experience Enhanced Through 5G-A Reach
By the end of 2024, China Mobile had expanded its 5G-Advanced network to more than 300 cities. These upgrades were not abstract infrastructure moves. They translated directly into better everyday experiences. With ten times the peak speed of standard 5G and much higher connection density, users can now enjoy:
Smooth 4K livestreams
Low-lag gaming
Responsive video calls even in dense urban environments
The focus on real-world performance rather than theoretical benchmarks reinforces the company’s commitment to meaningful user benefits.
AI-Powered Plans for Mobile Users On the Move
Recognizing that mobility is central to modern life, China Mobile introduced the 5G-Advanced Business Travel Package. This service goes far beyond bandwidth. It includes real-time translation, cloud access, and computing power—baked directly into the plan.
It removes the need for mobile professionals to carry multiple tools or apps. The service adapts to context and helps users stay productive and connected as they travel. It is a clear example of a network operator designing with lifestyle in mind.
Enterprise AI That Serves Sector-Specific Needs
China Mobile’s Jiutian AI model has been adapted into 30 unique versions tailored to specific industries. This includes a medical LLM for hospitals, a government model for public service workflows, and a manufacturing system that powers predictive maintenance.
These are not off-the-shelf solutions. They are purpose-built with the end user in mind—whether that user is a frontline doctor, a government employee, or a plant engineer trying to avoid costly downtime.
Seamless Digital Identity Through Cross-Network APIs
In 2024, China Mobile helped launch the country’s first GSMA Open Gateway-compliant OTP API. The goal was to simplify digital identity verification.
Now, users can log into apps or services quickly and securely without entering passwords or waiting for SMS codes. This invisible layer of user experience enhances trust, speeds up access, and makes the broader digital ecosystem feel more intuitive and connected.
Pinduoduo: Social Commerce and Affordability as Customer Centricity Examples
Image from pinduoduo.com
Pinduoduo has never followed the conventional e-commerce script. Rather than building a platform around transactions, it built one around interaction. It is understood that in China, especially outside major metros, shopping is still a shared experience, often communal, emotional, and rooted in trust.
By tapping into social behaviors, rewarding engagement, and anchoring its business in affordability without compromising progress, Pinduoduo has emerged as one of the most customer-attuned companies in the Chinese digital economy.
Each layer of its model reflects a deep sensitivity to what customers value most: community, play, savings, and increasingly, quality.
Group-Buying Model Aligned With Chinese Collectivism
At the heart of Pinduoduo’s rise is a simple idea rooted in everyday life. By allowing users to team up with others to unlock lower prices, the platform encourages collaboration over isolation.
This group-buying model taps into China’s social fabric, where shared benefit often carries more weight than individual reward. It turns online shopping into a community-driven experience where the more people join, the better the price becomes.
Pinduoduo’s social commerce tools extend far beyond the group-buying model. One standout feature is “Price Chop,” where users can receive deep discounts or even free products by inviting friends to click a shared link. The more clicks, the lower the price.
This mechanism converts every shopper into a potential campaigner, distributing brand awareness without any ad spend.
In Q1 2025, Pinduoduo’s revenues from transaction services alone reached RMB 46.95 billion (US$6.47 billion), a 6% increase yearly, driven by continued adoption of its interactive commerce model across broader user segments.
Gamification That Makes Everyday Shopping Feel Rewarding
Pinduoduo doesn’t just compete on price. It engages users through playful experiences that feel less like e-commerce and more like entertainment.
From daily check-ins and coin rewards to its wildly popular “Duoduo Orchard” virtual farming game, the platform invites people to return often, not because they have to, but because they want to.
These low-effort activities come with small but consistent incentives, making the act of saving feel fun.
Affordable Quality That Reaches Everyday Shoppers
In April 2025, Pinduoduo announced a three-year, RMB 100 billion ($13 billion) investment to improve product quality, streamline logistics, and support merchant innovation.
Backing this product quality push, the company ended March 2025 with cash and short-term investments totaling RMB 364.5 billion (US$50.2 billion), highlighting its ability to invest heavily in long-term value for price-sensitive consumers.
The goal is clear. Affordability should not come at the expense of reliability. This fund ensures that even the most price-sensitive customers get dependable, timely service. It is a recognition that price alone cannot drive lasting loyalty.
By helping sellers optimize operations and embrace modern technologies, Pinduoduo strengthens the entire customer journey, from click to doorstep.
Fulfillment That Mirrors How People Actually Shop
Pinduoduo’s grocery arm, Duoduo Maicai, is preparing to enter the instant delivery market through a flexible, hybrid model. In 2025, it will pilot self-operated warehouses in Shanghai paired with third-party last-mile logistics partners like SF Express.
This structure enables speed without heavy infrastructure ownership, preserving the platform’s low-cost ethos. More importantly, it reflects a user-centric view of convenience.
Not every household needs premium subscriptions or ultra-fast delivery windows. Many simply want groceries delivered reliably and affordably. Duoduo Maicai is designing fulfillment around those quiet, everyday needs that other platforms often overlook.
What Global Brands Can Learn from China’s Customer-Centric Playbook
China’s most forward-moving companies do not treat customer experience as a KPI. They treat it as the foundation of how a system runs. This mindset isn’t limited to tech giants. It can be applied anywhere trust is earned, preferences shift quickly, and platforms must keep pace with behavior.
Here’s what global teams can extract; not by imitation, but through strategic translation.
Build Systems That Learn and Act, Not Just Surfaces That Respond
In China, platforms like JD and Alibaba prove that true customer-driven innovation happens below the surface. Predictive warehousing, real-time routing, and adaptive pricing are not side features. They are central to the experience.
This consumer-centric approach does not rely on guessing what users want. It relies on systems that continuously listen, learn, and evolve.
For global brands, this is a shift in mindset. Experience design cannot begin with the user interface. It must begin with data intelligence, delivery mechanics, and operational responsiveness.
Make Loyalty a Result of Fit, Not a Strategy of Hooks
Many companies treat loyalty as a goal that can be gamified. In contrast, China’s best customer focus examples are removing friction, honoring time, and offering effortless value.
Alibaba’s shift away from complex promotions, Xiaomi’s flat-margin pricing model, and Pinduoduo’s commitment to low-cost reliability are not tactics. They are structures that lead to trust.
Global businesses can take inspiration from this. Loyalty is not built through tricks or tiers. It is earned when people see that the service fits their needs, respects their choices, and stays dependable over time.
Personalization Should Adjust to Context, Not Just Profile
Across Chinese platforms, personalization means noticing what users do, not just who they are. Taobao tailors homepage content based on browsing tempo.
JD adjusts product suggestions by time of day and device type, and RedNote refines recommendations by interaction depth. These are examples of customer-centricity that evolve in real time, helping people move forward instead of pushing them toward a conversion.
Outside China, many brands still build user journeys from broad personas. But people want clarity, not targeting. They want helpful prompts, not intrusive nudges. Personalization works best when it listens first.
Use Scale to Deepen Precision, Not Just Reach
China’s market scale often gets mistaken for complexity. But the smartest companies use scale to eliminate variability. JD ensures delivery accuracy across thousands of locations. Xiaomi uses economies of scale to maintain transparent pricing. Cainiao improves rural delivery performance by applying urban data patterns.
These are not just logistical wins. They are examples of customer focus that treat every buyer as equally deserving of quality.
When global companies expand, they often trade consistency for speed. China’s leading platforms show that size can reduce gaps, not widen them.
Let Customers Contribute, Not Just Consume
Some of the clearest customer-centric ideas come from Chinese companies’ invitations to users into the development process. Xiaomi’s community-led product forums do not just collect feedback.
They produce tangible feature updates and hardware revisions. Pinduoduo turns users into advocates through shared deals and gamified promotions.
These customer-driven innovation examples show that people are willing to contribute when they can see how their input changes the outcome.
Most global companies still treat user feedback as a post-launch chore. But when contribution becomes part of the rhythm, loyalty takes root early.
Build Ecosystems That Close the Loop
Chinese platforms do not think in stages. They believe in systems. JD connects product discovery, purchase, delivery, and post-sale services through a single flow.
Alibaba’s RedNote integration allows users to shop where they browse and browse where they shop. Xiaomi syncs every device in a user’s life, from phone to vehicle to home lighting. These are not independent offerings. They are loops that eliminate drop-offs.
The best customer-centric ideas come from understanding that fragmentation erodes trust. By removing handoffs and tightening every loop, companies can build platforms that feel complete, even when accessed in fragments.
Design for Daily Relevance, Not Just First Impressions
The most effective examples of customer focus in China do not rely on launch-day excitement. They focus on daily reliability: JD’s 24-hour delivery, Xiaomi’s adaptive smart home system, and Taobao’s instant commerce built into household routines. These are not flashy features. They are invisible services that make life smoother.
Globally, product teams often chase novelty. But real customer centricity thrives in quiet places—on the fourth use, the fifteenth delivery, the hundredth interaction. That is where value becomes habit.
These customer centricity examples from China show that innovation is not about features, but about systems that listen and adapt. For global brands, the lesson is clear: customer centricity is not a tactic, it’s a structure.
Explore the Frontlines of Customer Centricity in China with Ashley Dudarenok
image of Ashley Dudarenok
Few voices offer more clarity than Ashley Dudarenok for global teams looking to apply customer-centric strategies that work. Her work focuses on helping companies decode and implement customer-centric business models inspired by the leading platforms in China.
Ashley founded ChoZan, a China insights and digital strategy firm that equips brand leaders with frameworks drawn from real platform behavior.
She has advised teams across sectors on translating customer focus examples from companies like Alibaba, JD, and Pinduoduo into system-wide innovation. These are not surface adaptations. They are transformations built around:
Feedback loops
Behavioral signals
Experience architecture
Through her keynote speeches and executive briefings, Ashley brings customer-centric ideas into the boardroom with clear structure and cultural depth. Her insights help teams design journeys that reflect the user, not just the brand.
Whether the goal is ecosystem integration, smart personalization, or building trust at scale, she offers tools connecting strategy to execution.
Book a session with Ashley Dudarenok to see how China’s most adaptive companies turn signals into strategy.
FAQs About Customer Centricity Examples in China
What makes customer-centricity examples in China different from those in Western markets?
Customer centricity in China is built on real-time responsiveness and tightly integrated ecosystems. Brands like Alibaba and JD.com don’t just serve customers—they observe, adapt, and personalize experiences at the moment.
Every click, search, or pause becomes the input for how platforms adjust services, pricing, or delivery. This deep behavioral feedback loop turns commerce into a continuously evolving relationship, not a static transaction.
Are there any B2B customer centricity examples in China?
Yes, there are strong B2B customer centricity examples in China. One standout is Alibaba Cloud, which helps over 300,000 businesses simulate customer behavior in real time to improve their digital services.
Another is Tencent’s enterprise suite, which integrates WeCom with WeChat to streamline client communication and service delivery. These platforms listen closely to B2B user needs, prioritize customization, and evolve based on partner feedback—not just internal goals.
What are some examples of customer centricity involving digital trust and user privacy in China?
Some of China’s most trusted platforms have made user privacy a central part of their customer-centric approach. For example, Alipay’s privacy dashboard gives users full control over data sharing, with clear opt-in settings for each service.
Tencent has also invested in transparent permissions and encrypted communication in WeChat. These efforts reflect a growing commitment to building digital trust by giving users more visibility and choice in how their data is used.
How are customer centricity examples in China shaping offline retail experiences?
Customer centricity in China transforms offline retail into a seamless, personalized experience. Brands like Freshippo blend mobile tech with physical stores to let shoppers scan items, access product details, and pay without waiting in line.
Even smaller retailers use digital membership programs to tailor promotions and reward loyal behavior. These changes reflect a deeper shift toward making every visit more convenient, connected, and uniquely relevant to the customer.
What role do mini programs play in customer centricity examples in China?
Mini programs play a decisive role in making customer experiences more personalized and convenient in China. Found within apps like WeChat and Douyin, these lightweight tools let users shop, book, or engage with brands without downloading anything new.
For example, users can try a virtual makeup tool or reorder groceries in just a few taps. This level of integration helps brands meet people where they are, with less friction and more relevance.
How do customer centricity examples influence China’s digital payment landscape?
Customer centricity has profoundly shaped China’s digital payment landscape by making transactions faster, safer, and more intuitive. Platforms like Alipay and WeChat Pay continuously adapt based on user habits, offering features like split bills, QR scanning, and face recognition to reduce friction.
These tools aren’t just about convenience—they reflect a broader effort to listen to real-world behavior and remove everyday barriers, making digital payments feel natural and user-first.
How does China’s smart city infrastructure reflect customer centricity?
China’s smart city infrastructure reflects customer centricity by focusing on everyday ease, safety, and access. From contactless subway entry to real-time traffic updates, the systems are designed to meet citizens’ needs in the moment.
In cities like Hangzhou, services connect through a single app, allowing residents to pay bills, access healthcare, or report issues quickly. These efforts show how urban innovation can feel personal, not just technical.
How does localization enhance customer centricity in China?
Localization enhances customer centricity in China by meeting people in the context of their daily lives. Whether it’s offering dialect-based voice assistants or tailoring product lines to regional tastes, brands that localize earn deeper trust.
Meituan, for example, adjusts restaurant recommendations based on city-specific food culture. This thoughtful adaptation helps people feel seen and understood, not just targeted, which is at the heart of meaningful customer connection.
How is customer centricity applied in Chinese smart appliances?
Chinese smart appliances are customer-centric, with designs that simplify everyday routines while learning from real usage. Brands like Haier and Xiaomi create devices that adjust to family habits, like refrigerators that suggest recipes based on stored ingredients or air purifiers that sync with outdoor pollution levels.
These features aren’t just smart—they’re thoughtful, shaped by real feedback to make homes feel more responsive, intuitive, and supportive of people’s actual needs.
How do Chinese mobility platforms reflect a user-first approach?
Chinese mobility platforms reflect a user-first approach by focusing on real-world convenience and safety. Services like Didi adapt routes based on traffic conditions and offer quick driver feedback tools that improve service over time.
Many platforms also include in-app safety features like trip sharing and emergency contact buttons. These efforts show that the goal isn’t just getting people from place to place—it’s doing so in a way that feels reliable, respectful, and easy to use.
How do Chinese banks integrate customer behavior into daily operations?
Chinese banks integrate customer behavior into daily operations by using data to make financial services more personal and timely. For example, banks like ICBC and China Merchants Bank analyze transaction patterns to recommend savings plans, credit products, or nearby promotions.
Their apps adjust dashboards based on user habits, helping people manage money more easily. This approach turns banking into a supportive experience that adapts to each person’s financial rhythm.
How is trust built through experience design in low-income markets?
Trust in low-income markets is built by designing experiences that feel simple, respectful, and fair. In China, platforms like Pinduoduo earned user confidence by offering transparent pricing, group discounts, and easy returns. These design choices reflect an understanding of real constraints and everyday concerns.
When people feel empowered rather than overwhelmed, especially in financial or purchasing decisions, trust grows naturally through repeated, positive interactions.
How are traditional industries in China adapting to user-first business models?
Traditional industries in China are embracing user-first models by rethinking how they serve everyday needs. Manufacturing, agriculture, and logistics companies use platforms like WeChat to offer direct customer support, product customization, and real-time updates.
Even state-owned enterprises are launching digital interfaces that simplify service requests. These changes reflect a shift from process-first thinking to relationship-driven service, where listening to the end user becomes part of the business routine.
What Is the Internet of Things (IoT)? Definition & Examples
Jul 18, 2025
China’s Internet of Things (IoT) revolution is not theoretical or niche – it’s woven into everyday life. By late 2024, the country had nearly 3 billion IoT connections, officially surpassing the number of mobile phone subscriptions. This explosive growth means Chinese commuters, shoppers, and homeowners routinely interact with smart devices and sensors daily.
Over 90% of people in China now own at least one smart home gadget, the highest adoption rate in the world. From smart appliances in high-rise apartments to delivery robots in subways, IoT has moved from buzzword to normality in China’s rapidly urbanizing society.
This blog discusses how IoT works, how China leads, and what global professionals can learn from its execution model.
What Is the Internet of Things (IoT) and How It Works
At its core, the Internet of Things is a system that bridges the physical world with digital decision-making. Devices equipped with sensors collect real-time data. That data travels through a network, is processed, and triggers an automated or human—controlled response. This loop happens continuously, creating a living network of devices that can observe, analyze, and act.
A fully functional IoT system relies on these integrated layers:
1. Sensors and Physical Devices
Any IoT system starts with a device capable of sensing the environment. These sensors can detect heat, humidity, pressure, vibration, motion, light, sound, location, or biometrics. The variety is vast.
For instance, agricultural sensors can detect soil moisture every 10 seconds, while manufacturing sensors measure equipment vibration to prevent breakdowns. In 2025, the average industrial IoT setup will use various sensors across workflows, from production lines to logistics.
IoT devices, such as a smart thermostat that adjusts temperature, may be active or passive, such as a tracker embedded in a package. What unifies them is their ability to collect raw, real-time data from the physical world.
2. Connectivity Layer
Once the data is captured, it must be transmitted. This is where connectivity comes in. IoT systems use a mix of communication protocols depending on the use case:
6G (emerging): Set to debut commercially around 2030, 6G promises speeds up to 100 times faster than 5G with even lower latency, enabling ultra-intelligent IoT environments. China is investing heavily in 6G to power next-generation applications such as real-time holographic communication, tactile internet, and fully autonomous ecosystems.
5G: Offers ultra-low latency and high bandwidth, essential for mobile and real-time systems like autonomous vehicles or surgical robotics.
Wi-Fi: Suitable for local area connections like smart homes or offices.
NB-IoT (Narrowband IoT) and LoRa: Designed for long-range, low-power applications such as utility meters or remote environmental monitoring.
Bluetooth and Zigbee: Often used in short-range consumer devices and smart buildings.
The communication protocol determines how quickly and reliably data reaches the next layer.
3. Edge Processing and Data Management
The volume of IoT data is massive and growing. By the end of 2025, IoT devices will generate over 79.4 zettabytes of data annually. Processing all of that centrally in the cloud isn’t always practical.
That’s why many systems use edge computing, where data is processed close to where it’s generated. This reduces latency and bandwidth load, making real-time decisions possible. For example, a surveillance camera with edge AI can detect motion and decide whether to alert security without waiting for cloud confirmation.
When data needs long-term storage, broader analysis, or integration with other systems, it moves to cloud platforms. Analytics engines sort and visualize the data there, often feeding into business dashboards, predictive tools, or enterprise software.
4. Automation and Decision Layer
The final step is action. This could be automatic—like a factory robot adjusting its path—or involve a human making a decision based on insights from the dashboard.
Modern IoT systems often integrate AI to make sense of patterns. For instance, predictive maintenance algorithms detect when machines will likely fail, reducing downtime. In retail, customer movement heatmaps influence store layouts in real time.
China’s National IoT Ambition
Chinese consumers have embraced IoT with a zeal that sets them apart. The country’s urban population reached about 67% by the end of 2024, creating dense, tech-friendly cities where innovative services thrive. In these connected urban centers, digital convenience shapes everyday behaviors.
Government Support and IoT Strategic Plans
Central Industrial Strategies for IoT
The Chinese government has explicitly made IoT a pillar of its industrial modernization agendas. The landmark Made in China 2025 policy (launched in 2015) identified IoT as a priority for upgrading manufacturing and infrastructure.
Inspired by Germany’s Industry 4.0, MIC2025 aims to create cloud-driven IoT and automation systems across automotive, telecom, agriculture, and more sectors. This top-down strategy sets clear targets for IoT adoption in “priority” high-tech fields, with the government mobilizing resources to ensure those targets are met.
For example, authorities have created around 100 industrial IoT platforms under state guidance, enabling “continent-scale” industrial ecosystems by sector. Such platforms connect factories and supply chains through IoT, reflecting how state planning actively builds IoT infrastructure that individual firms might not achieve alone.
Massive Investment via New Infrastructure
In 2020, Beijing unveiled a sweeping stimulus plan called the “New Infrastructure” plan, which commits enormous funding to digital and smart infrastructure.
At the 2020 National People’s Congress, the government announced roughly US$1.4 trillion (over RMB 10 trillion) in public spending through 2025 on next-generation infrastructure, including 5G networks, AI, and the Internet of Things (IoT).
This initiative treats IoT as a national priority on par with high-speed rail or power grids. It explicitly names IoT and the “industrial internet” as key investment areas alongside data centers and ultra-fast networks.
Analysts estimate total new infrastructure investment could reach RMB 17.5 trillion ($2.5 trillion) by the end of 2025. China’s state is effectively jump-starting IoT deployment nationwide by funding IoT sensor networks, smart utilities, and other digital systems at scale..
Policy Coordination and IoT Subsidies
A defining feature of China’s IoT push is close coordination between ministries, state-owned enterprises, and local governments. The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) and agencies like the NDRC (National Development and Reform Commission) issue action plans, technical guidelines, and funding to steer IoT growth.
The NDRC confirms extensive deployment and progress in IoT-related infrastructure and new digital technologies across China by 2025, aligned with major industrial and digital development goals.
The report indicates significant progress in infrastructure and digital development:
Major infrastructure projects (including railways, logistics hubs, and charging stations) have expanded nationwide.
New infrastructure types such as 5G networks cover all townships and more than 90% of administrative villages, reaching 71% of the population.
Industrial Internet (the Industrial IoT) covers all 41 major industrial categories.
China is expected to have about 4.1 billion Industrial IoT connections by 2025, accounting for one-third of global Industrial IoT connections.
14th Five-Year Plan (2021–2025)
The 14th Five-Year Plan (2021–2025) further embeds IoT across sectors: energy, logistics, agriculture, elder care, transportation, and public safety.
It includes measurable benchmarks:
IoT deployment in 100 smart manufacturing clusters
Full 5G coverage in Tier 1 and Tier 2 cities, and
Standardized IoT protocols for health monitoring in rural clinics.
Central Role of MIIT in China’s IoT Development
The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) is the central coordinator. It issues guidelines, allocates funding, enforces standards, and audits deployment. In 2024, MIIT published the “Smart Connected Infrastructure Guidelines,” which formalized how municipalities should integrate IoT into public transport, waste management, and disaster response.
In 2024, MIIT finalized a comprehensive technical standards framework for IoT, defining the categories needed to ensure different IoT devices and platforms can interconnect seamlessly.
By establishing nationwide standards (e.g., communication protocols, data formats, security requirements), the ministry prevents the fragmentation seen in Western IoT markets, where multiple competing standards can slow adoption.
Chinese Tech Giants Driving IoT
Screenshot from alibabacloud.com
China’s rapid IoT expansion isn’t only driven by policy—it’s executed at scale by tech giants with deep infrastructure, platform ecosystems, and AI capabilities. Unlike their Western counterparts, these firms don’t treat IoT as a separate product line.
Each major player brings a different strength:
Xiaomi Smart Home Ecosystem
Image from mi.com/global
China’s smart home market is flourishing, with domestic ecosystems built around integrated IoT platforms. Xiaomi exemplifies this with an open IoT ecosystem unified via its Mi Home app and Xiao AI assistant, spanning smart lights, appliances, wearables, and more.
By the end of 2024, Xiaomi’s AIoT platform connected over 861 million devices (excluding phones and PCs). Notably, more than 17.1 million households own five or more Xiaomi IoT products, reflecting deep consumer adoption.
This seamless integration lets users manage home lighting, climate control, security cameras, and fitness gadgets from a single interface, greatly enhancing convenience and automation in daily life.
Huawei: Embedded Operating Systems and Network Control
Huawei operates across the full stack: from device hardware to network infrastructure and cloud services. Its HarmonyOS and LiteOS operating systems are optimized for IoT devices that need lightweight footprints and fast interactions. These systems run on everything from wearables and smart TVs to industrial sensors.
On the enterprise side, Huawei’s OceanConnect IoT platform supports transportation, energy, and manufacturing industries. It allows companies to build modular solutions with edge-cloud coordination, AI integration, and secure network slicing. As of 2025, OceanConnect supports 136 partner solutions in more than 30 sectors.
Huawei is also central to IoT networking. Its base stations and chipsets support 5G NR-Light, which is designed specifically for low-power, high-density IoT deployments.
Alibaba Cloud: Platform Intelligence for Commerce and Industry
Alibaba Cloud’s IoT strategy centers on commercial logistics and digital commerce. The Link IoT platform provides modular services for smart cities, supply chain visibility, energy metering, and retail automation. It’s well-integrated with Alibaba’s e-commerce platforms, creating real-time feedback loops between consumer behavior and physical operations.
For example, sensors in Cainiao warehouses feed into the Link platform to optimize delivery routes and storage conditions. In 2024, Alibaba expanded its Link Edge AI modules, allowing manufacturers to conduct on-site visual inspections and predictive maintenance.
Alibaba’s fintech arm, Ant Group, applies IoT to financial inclusion. Micro-IoT sensors and AI credit scoring provide usage-based microloans to small retailers, especially in lower-tier cities and rural areas. This model links device activity directly to financing terms.
Cainiao Network
Cainiao Network operates sprawling smart warehouses and IoT-enabled delivery infrastructure to ensure millions of packages reach customers within 24–48 hours. In Cainiao’s fulfillment centers, inventory is tagged with RFID sensors and tracked by a central IoT system for real-time visibility.
Automated guided vehicles and robotic sorting arms – coordinated by cloud algorithms – swiftly move parcels through these warehouses with minimal human intervention.
For example, Cainiao’s smart logistics platform can automatically route an urgent order to the optimal warehouse, then dispatch the package through a courier or locker closest to the customer, all based on IoT data. The result is that Chinese consumers can order a product online in the morning and often receive it by evening.
Baidu: Autonomous IoT Networks in Transit
Screenshot from apollo.auto
Baidu positions itself as a search engine and a pioneer in intelligent mobility. Its Apollo platform is one of the world’s largest autonomous driving networks, operating across over 30 cities in China with more than 100,000 connected vehicles.
Apollo doesn’t just manage onboard car data—it forms an IoT mesh with traffic lights, road sensors, and municipal control centers. This vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) integration allows real-time rerouting, adaptive signaling, and autonomous ride-hailing fleets.
In 2025, Baidu expanded its Xiaodu AIoT ecosystem to support smart traffic monitoring, indoor navigation, and voice-activated services in public infrastructure.
Baidu’s DuerOS (via Xiaodu smart displays and speakers) has emerged as a leading voice-based IoT hub. As of 2024, Baidu’s Xiaodu platform was integrated with 1,500+ brands across 70+ device categories, encompassing 300 million connected devices ranging from TVs to refrigerators.
Tencent: Social IoT and Urban Integration
Tencent’s IoT strength lies in its vast user base and social interface layers. WeChat’s IoTAPIs enable direct integration between smart devices and user accounts, enabling remote access, notifications, and payments through one interface.
Tencent’s WeCity platform supports city governments in deploying citizen-facing IoT services. For instance, its system in Shenzhen allows residents to monitor bus arrivals, air quality, and utility usage in a unified app environment. In 2024, WeCity added modules for emergency alerting, dynamic traffic signs, and smart building access.
Tencent also partners with hardware brands to integrate devices into the WeChat Mini Program ecosystem, making device control feel like messaging, not tech management.
Foxconn and IoT Manufacturing
Screenshot from foxconn.com
Foxconn, the world’s largest electronics manufacturer, has embraced IoT-driven “smart factory” practices to boost efficiency on its production lines.
In one notable factory in Kunshan, Foxconn’s use of industrial robots and IoT-controlled machines enabled the company to replace 60,000 human workers with automation. Since then, Foxconn’s leadership has targeted automating 30% of its manufacturing processes by 2025.
Foxconn’s Shenzhen Guanlan plant, recognized as a WEF “Lighthouse” smart factory, deploys an array of IoT devices and AI algorithms to streamline production and track energy usage and carbon output in real time. The result has been a 45% cut in manufacturing costs and improvements in sustainability, like a 24% reduction in on-site CO₂ emissions through IoT-optimized processes.
These connected factory lines demonstrate how IoT drives enterprise efficiency and greener operations in China’s manufacturing sector.
Haier’s COSMOPlat IoT Platform
Haier – a leading appliance manufacturer – has revolutionized production by linking consumers directly to its manufacturing via the COSMOPlat industrial internet platform.
COSMOPlat is an IoT-powered mass customization system that allows customers to personalize products, which are then made on demand in Haier’s smart factories.
Through online interfaces and interactive community forums, users can co-design features (for example, specifying a refrigerator’s layout or a washing machine’s cycle functions) and submit orders that go straight into Haier’s IoT-connected production schedule. This model dramatically reduces inventory and responds precisely to consumer needs.
Internet of Things in China’s Smart City Investments
Image from unlimphotos. China smart city
China’s push toward smart cities has become a cornerstone of its national digital strategy, and IoT sits at the heart of that transformation. Here is a snapshot of how key cities are advancing IoT-backed smart city development.
IoT in Shanghai Smart City Development
Shanghai continues to lead in integrating IoT with digital twins—virtual representations of physical assets. Through the Urban Operations Management Center, city officials use real-time IoT data to simulate urban scenarios like subway crowding or waste collection.
In 2024, the city expanded this model into suburban areas and smart industrial zones. Shanghai’s Hongqiao Business District is also piloting 5G-enabled logistics systems and environmental monitoring using citywide sensor networks.
Wuxi: China’s IoT Pilot City
In Wuxi, one of the country’s earliest IoT pilots, sensors monitor traffic flow, water levels, air quality, and pedestrian patterns. City managers access real-time dashboards that issue automated alerts, suggest rerouting strategies, or trigger local interventions.
Wuxi has implemented intelligent traffic management in transportation that uses connected cameras and signal control to streamline flow.
Introducing smart toll roads, IoT-enabled parking, and adaptive traffic lights has significantly cut congestion in Wuxi, saving commuters countless hours otherwise spent idling in traffic.
IoT in Shenzhen Urban Infrastructure
Shenzhen’s smart city investments go beyond consumer tech. The city is leading national efforts in AIoT-powered service robotics, embedding smart robots into metro stations, hospitals, and government buildings.
Shenzhen pioneered the “4321+X” model, integrating government networks, video feeds, IoT sensor networks, and internet services across neighborhoods and districts.
The city leads in installing smart CCTV and other IoT-driven public safety systems; for example, Longgang District saw overall crime rates fall nearly 30%after deploying these technologies.
Chongqing: Expanding IoT Smart Services
Chongqing has implemented one of China’s most advanced vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) networks. Roadside sensors and traffic lights communicate with buses and autonomous shuttles to regulate flow and minimize idle time.
In the Liangjiang New Area of Chongqing – one of China’s national intelligent vehicle pilot zones – authorities have laid nearly 100 km of urban roads equipped with V2I sensors and 5G connectivity as of late 2024.
Internet of Things in Healthcare
IoT is also reshaping healthcare in hospitals, community clinics, and homes.
IoT in Remote Health: Ping An Good Doctor
Ping An Good Doctor operates smart health kiosks across metro areas. These booths offer AI-assisted diagnostics, basic vitals screening, and video consultations. Each kiosk is linked to a cloud-based IoT system that syncs with wearables and electronic health records.
The AI can diagnose around 2,000 commonailments accurately and provide an initial assessment. A human doctor then comes online via video to confirm the diagnosis and e-prescribe medications, which the kiosk can dispense from an integrated smart vending machine stocking 100+ common drugs.
How IoT Is Reshaping Retail in China
China’s retail sector is undergoing a silent overhaul, powered by IoT-enabled strategies that link digital platforms and physical stores into seamless ecosystems. In 2024, Chinese retailers reported that 72% of mid-to-large chains now employ IoT systems across their supply chains and store floors, boosting delivery speed and cutting delays by approximately 40%.
Alibaba’s Hema Fresh (Freshippo), JD.com’s 7Fresh, and Suning’s Nanjing Warehouse
Screenshot from freshippo.com
Walk into Alibaba’s Hema Fresh (Freshippo) supermarkets or JD.com’s 7Fresh grocery stores and you’ll see how IoT enriches a simple grocery run. At Hema, shoppers enter by scanning a mobile app; some locations even use facial recognition at the gate for entry.
Products on shelves carry RFID tags and digital price labels rather than paper tags. Customers can pick items and bag them, or scan codes on items to instantly get detailed origin info on their phone (e.g., farm source, freshness, recipe ideas).
These stores double as online fulfillment centers, enabled by IoT systems that sync inventory in real time. When you’re done shopping, there’s no need to wait at a cashier. Hema and 7Fresh use automated check-out: you can simply walk to a kiosk, scan your app (or at some stores, just your face), and the payment is auto-deducted from your Alipay/WeChat Pay wallet.
The entire store experience is cashless, queue-less, and personalized. Hema even uses data from hundreds of in-store cameras to analyze foot traffic and optimize product displays on the fly.
Online-Merge-Offline (OMO) Model
Chinese retail has embraced an Online-Merge-Offline (OMO) model at scale. As of mid-2024, over 80% of major supermarket and convenience chains in China had adopted OMO strategies that merge digital and physical shopping. This means a store visit and an online browse are now part of one continuous journey.
Shoppers routinely scan QR codes on products in a brick-and-mortar store to see reviews or more choices online. Many will make purchases in-app and then pick them up in the store an hour later, or vice versa, depending on what’s convenient.
Logistics also benefits—JD.com uses IoT-connected drones and robots for faster deliveries, while sensors monitor perishable goods to ensure freshness.
Beyond convenience, IoT enhances customer engagement. Beacon technology sends personalized discounts to shoppers’ phones as they browse, while AI-powered smart mirrors recommend outfits based on preferences.
Future Trends in China’s IoT Landscape
China’s IoT journey is far from complete. The coming years will see the country push into even more cutting-edge and integrated IoT applications. Unlike some places where talk of the “next big thing” can be speculative, in China, these trends are backed by hefty government plans and active R&D.
Here’s a look at what’s on the horizon, grounded in emerging projects and policies:
Brain-Computer Interfaces
In early 2024, Beijing unveiled its Brain-Computer Interface (BCI) Action Plan for 2025–2030, aiming to support 3–5 globally influential BCI leaders and over 100 specialized mid-sized firms by 2030, with clinical applications in healthcare, education, and safety systems.
The standardization comes through an MIIT-led BCI technical committee, announced in mid‑2024, which will guide industry protocols and standards around neural tech. Soon, trials may begin using thought-controlled wheelchairs or robotic limbs in hospitals, marking a shift toward what might be called the “body as IoT.”
IoT in the Metaverse and Digital Twins
China’s metaverse strategy is enterprise-first. MIIT’s 2023–2025 Metaverse Industrial Innovation Action Plan envisions 3–5 world-leading metaverse firms and industrial hubs by 2025. Pilot applications already include AR try-on features during major shopping festivals in 2024, backed by local government efforts to build “metaverse industry parks” in cities like Shanghai and Chengdu.
These parks feature digital twin projects, virtual replicas of infrastructure that receive live IoT sensor data to support urban planning and public services.
Service Robots and Humanoid IoT Applications
Robots are expanding into daily life. By 2025, China plans to mass-produce humanoid robots, supported by MIIT and city-level programs in Ningbo and Hangzhou that list goals like building 100 core components and launching 20 R&D initiatives through 2027.
Startups such as EngineAI and AgiBot are deploying bipedal robots, thanks to funding and subsidies targeting eldercare, hospitality, and logistics. In Shenzhen, robots already deliver food in parks and patrol buildings, with the goal of widespread deployment by 2027.
China’s future IoT is multidisciplinary—linking neural tech, immersive virtual spaces, intelligent robots, and unified standards. It’s a vision powered by planned R&D, local pilots, and national coordination.
For global professionals, this signals a unique opportunity: IoT innovation in China is championed, funded, and normalized, not experimental.
Want to Go Deeper into China’s Internet of Things Future?
Ashley Galina Dudarenok speaks during an event
If you’re exploring China’s digital transformation, especially in areas like IoT, smart retail, or platform ecosystems, experts like Ashley Dudarenok bridge the gap between insight and action.
Ashley Dudarenok is one of China’s most respected voices on digital transformation. With over 15 years of on-the-ground experience, she helps global teams understand how technologies like IoT, AI, and smart retail shape the world’s most competitive market. She is also a top speaker on China and tech, delivering keynotes that connect market insights with actionable strategies for global brands.
Why Ashley?
Naturalized Chinese entrepreneur with deep insight into platform behavior and consumer shifts
Member of Alibaba’s Global Influencer Entourage, JD.com’s Global China Experts Group, and trusted by Tencent, Pinduoduo, and others
Recognized by Thinkers50, RETHINK Retail, and LinkedIn Top Voices
Digital marketing speaker for leading organizations worldwide, including LVMH, Shiseido, Harley-Davidson, and more
Author of bestselling books and China Mega Reports on tech, retail, and consumer behavior
What She Offers
Briefings and workshops tailored to how China’s digital infrastructure—like IoT, 5G, and AI—is transforming daily life across industries such as retail, logistics, healthcare, and smart cities.
Actionable strategies that show how Chinese consumers interact with connected devices and platforms—from facial-pay grocery stores to AI-powered health kiosks.
Ongoing insights on how technologies like smart homes, autonomous transit, and mobile ecosystems evolve at “China speed”, helping your team stay ahead of digital adoption trends.
If you’re rethinking or starting to build a China strategy, Ashley can help your team move confidently.
What is the Internet of Things (IoT) in simple terms?
The Internet of Things refers to physical objects—like devices, vehicles, or machines—that are connected to the Internet and can collect, send, or act on data without human intervention. It allows things in the real world to communicate and work together digitally.
How does IoT work?
IoT systems collect data through sensors, transmit it through a network, process it using edge or cloud computing, and then trigger automated actions or insights. This can be as simple as turning on a light or as complex as controlling traffic across a city.
Why is China considered a global leader in IoT?
China’s government-backed strategy, massive infrastructure rollout, and fast consumer adoption have made it the largest and most advanced real-world IoT environment. Projects are implemented at the city or sector scale, not just tested in labs.
What role does the Chinese government play in IoT development?
China’s central government, particularly through MIIT, funds, regulates, and monitors IoT deployment through national plans like Made in China 2025 and the New Infrastructure Plan. Policies are tied to measurable targets and city-level execution.
Which Chinese companies are leading in IoT innovation?
Huawei (networks and OS), Alibaba Cloud (logistics and retail), Baidu (autonomous transit), and Tencent (smart cities and social IoT) each lead distinct parts of China’s IoT ecosystem. Their platforms are embedded across consumer and enterprise use cases.
What are real examples of IoT use in China?
Chinese users interact with IoT through smart homes, cashier-less retail, connected health kiosks, and city systems that adjust lighting or manage traffic. Many of these systems operate through super apps like WeChat or Alipay.
How does China’s retail sector use IoT?
Retailers use shelf sensors, foot-traffic heatmaps, RFID tracking, and facial-payment systems to create responsive shopping environments. Data from IoT systems is linked directly to personalization engines, dynamic layouts, and inventory automation.
Is China influencing global IoT standards?
Yes. China is a leading contributor to international standards for IoT device protocols, smart grids, and industrial platforms. Through exports and infrastructure agreements, its frameworks are increasingly adopted in Belt and Road partner countries.
What’s next for IoT in China?
China focuses on edge AI, digital twins, 6G research, and immersive mixed-reality environments that integrate real-time IoT data. Government plans now treat IoT as part of the broader digital infrastructure, not a standalone tech.
How can global businesses partner with China on IoT?
Opportunities include cloud-platform integration, licensing of Chinese IoT modules, joint ventures in smart cities or industrial parks, and co-deployment in third markets. Localization is key—devices and platforms must match China’s infrastructure and compliance standards.
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