Global consumers embrace China's innovations as economy shows strong resilience

Raydis Franco from Venezuela is getting ready for his Chinese driver's license test in north China's Tianjin. He has been busy studying traffic regulations and refining his driving skills.

His fascination with China's smart, eco-friendly, and stylish new energy vehicles (NEVs) fueled his determination to obtain a local driver's license.

"Chinese NEVs are incredible. Once I get my license, I plan to rent one first and then buy my own for daily commutes and travel," Franco said.

NEVs, a flagship product of China's intelligent manufacturing, are increasingly winning over global consumers. The NEV export market in the country is expanding rapidly, with exports hitting 1.28 million units in 2024, a 6.7-percent year-on-year increase, data from the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers showed.

Over the past decade, Chinese NEVs have been exported to more than 70 countries and regions. According to the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, both China's NEV production and sales have accounted for over 70 percent of the global total, maintaining the country's top position in the world for 10 consecutive years.

Beyond NEVs, a growing array of Chinese innovative products, such as foldable smartphones, bone-conduction headphones, and humanoid robots, are also gaining international acclaim.

Yu Yongding, an expert with the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said that the comprehensive advantages of China's intelligent manufacturing, spanning industrial chains, product competitiveness, and innovation, serve as a critical pillar for China's efforts to break trade barriers and uphold the global free trade system and international economic order.

Moving beyond the outdated view of Chinese products as "cheap and low-quality," China has in recent years fueled its economic growth through technological innovations and industrial upgrades, achieving a qualitative leap in product competitiveness.

Carlos Alvarado, a Guatemalan student at Tianjin Foreign Studies University, is enamored with his Xiaomi smartphone, praising its "feature-rich performance, smooth operation, and exceptional value for money."

"Guatemala loves importing Chinese products, which are high-quality yet affordable," said Alvarado. He plans to buy an energy-efficient, smart Chinese washing machine to give his mother a much-needed break from household chores.

Meanwhile, the wave of China's AI-powered manufacturing is propelling Chinese products onto the global stage with a new image and unprecedented acceptance.

Recently, merchants in Yiwu, a bustling trade hub in east China's Zhejiang Province, harnessed the power of the domestic AI model DeepSeek to transform themselves into international sales influencers. Simply by speaking to a camera, they were able to effortlessly generate customized multilingual product videos to promote their products around the globe.

"This is amazing! I've even seen product videos in Vietnamese for Chinese goods. The descriptions are incredibly accurate, making it so much easier for us to buy from China," said Phan Dinh Thang from Vietnam, who couldn't stop raving about the technology after seeing the videos on social media.

Amid geopolitical tensions and protectionist headwinds, China's economy has demonstrated remarkable resilience, underpinned by its highly efficient industrial and supply chains and continuously improving innovation ecosystem.

According to the General Administration of Customs of China, in the first four months of this year, the total import and export value of goods trade in China reached 14.14 trillion yuan (about 1.97 trillion U.S. dollars), up 2.4 percent year on year. Exports rose 7.5 percent to 8.39 trillion yuan, with exports of electromechanical products accounting for over 60 percent of total exports.

In the first quarter of this year, China saw its exports grow across more than 170 countries and regions.

Svetlana Olkhovikova, a 36-year-old Russian entrepreneur, has established two companies in the Tianjin Pilot Free Trade Zone, specializing in exporting Chinese agricultural machinery and medical equipment. These enterprises have now forged strong partnerships with businesses across more than 20 countries and regions including Russia, Kazakhstan, and the Republic of Korea.

"Our Chinese partner companies are pragmatic, efficient, and innovative, offering high-quality products at competitive prices along with customized services. This reflects China's robust manufacturing capabilities and high level of specialization," the businesswoman said.

"The Chinese market is enormous. Many products manufactured here are increasingly in demand overseas, offering countless opportunities for people around the globe," said Olkhovikova, who has gained a deeper understanding of China's economic development through her entrepreneurial journey.

Ksenia Bondarenko, associate professor at Russia's National Research University Higher School of Economics, noted that for years, China has been the global manufacturing hub. Now, its intelligent manufacturing is rising rapidly, particularly in AI, 5G, e-commerce, and electric vehicles.

"Amidst the turbulent global economic landscape, China stands out as a rare exemplar of formidable economic resilience," Bondarenko said.

According to the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, China's manufacturing sector has ranked first globally in total scale for 15 consecutive years. Additionally, the number of technology and innovation-driven enterprises in the country has surpassed 600,000.