'Made in China' stands for quality and value

In the B2B market, 81 percent of overseas buyers are interested in Chinese brands and products, showcasing China’s improved brand awareness internationally, LinkedIn said in a report.

But domestic brands need more investment in digital marketing for long term customer relationships and development, said LinkedIn, which has 630 million users globally — 47 million in China.

It said 81 percent of B2B overseas decision makers are interested in domestic brands and willing to buy products from China.

Their ideas of Chinese goods have changed to “affordable, quality and fast delivery” from “cheap and copycat” five years ago, according to LinkedIn's China B2B Brand Globalization White Paper.

Besides big brands, over 60 percent of Chinese B2B exporters are small or medium-sized enterprises. Southeast Asia is the initial destination for Chinese firms thanks to culture and location, said the report surveying officials from China and 18 countries and regions.

Chinese brands are “active and confident” about overseas expansion, especially in high-tech machinery and new energy, said Zhou Xiaodan, head of marketing for LinkedIn China’s Marketing Solutions.

Since its foundation three years ago, LinkedIn Marketing Solutions has gained about 300 employees in China.

It offers customized VIP services for big companies such as IBM, Huawei, and Cisco, as well as standard services for SMEs, said Vianne Cai, general manager of LinkedIn China’s Marketing Solutions.

LinkedIn says it has the world's biggest professional community.

But only 5 percent of overseas buyers give long-term orders with Chinese B2B firms, representing a gap between domestic firms and their clients.

Chinese B2B firms still need more time and investment on brand recognition as well as products to win long-term trust from overseas clients.

In the B2B sector, many Chinese SMEs are expected to become big names with rapid growth and booming international business, Cai added.