FROM electric vehicles turning heads on European streets to bubble tea shops multiplying across Southeast Asia and quirky plush toys igniting a collecting frenzy worldwide, Chinese brands have gained global popularity, emerging as symbols of innovation, design and quality.
More than a string of business successes, this trend offers fresh evidence of China’s evolving role in global trade and the dynamism underpinning its economic transformation.
Global appeal
When Mixue Ice Cream & Tea opened its first store in São Paulo, Brazil, in April, crowds of curious customers lined up outside the shop, some waiting for more than an hour to try the popular Chinese beverage chain for the first time. Since launching its first international outlet in 2018, the chain has grown to more than 4,000 stores outside China.
Mixue is among a growing number of Chinese brands accelerating their global expansion and winning over overseas consumers with quality products, competitive pricing and localized offerings.
Sportswear giant Anta opened its first North American flagship store in February in Beverly Hills, California. Hotpot chains led by Haidilao have built a loyal following across dozens of countries, while Yadea’s electric bikes and motorcycles have gained strong sales in Southeast Asia and South America.
Global trust in Chinese brands has risen significantly, with their international influence continuing to expand, according to a report by consulting firm Ipsos.
“They have zeroed in on the preferences of younger global consumers,” said Zhao Xisan, a researcher with the Henan Academy of Social Sciences. “Continuous innovation in product design, user experience and marketing models aligns with Generation Z’s preference for personalized and trend-driven consumption.”
Pop Mart’s Labubu offers a telling example. The character, part of the brand’s The Monsters series, has become a global phenomenon, with revenue reaching 14.16 billion yuan (about $2.07 billion) in 2025, up more than threefold year on year. Pop Mart expanded into more than 30 overseas cities last year, including Berlin, Rome, Copenhagen and Toronto.
The commercial success is underpinned by China’s industrial strength. “China’s complete manufacturing ecosystem, particularly its supply chain coordination and scale, allows companies to compress the cycle from design and production to restocking and logistics,” said Li Kai, an associate professor at Xiamen University’s School of Economics.
“For overseas consumers, that means access to trendier, more reliable, and faster-updating products and services at the same price point,” Li said.
Beyond products, Chinese brands increasingly encompass lifestyle and experience.
Heytea’s London store near the British Museum is designed as an immersive Chinese aesthetic space, featuring interactive ceiling screens, rock garden displays and seating inspired by traditional ink art. Its Toronto location, meanwhile, includes a “tea laboratory” where customers can observe the process of making tea drinks from raw ingredients.
“Hot pot is less about the broth than the social experience. Milk tea is less about the drink than about the aesthetics, flavors and social media appeal it carries. And sportswear is no longer just clothing, but a reflection of design, technology and lifestyle,” Li said. “Increasingly, overseas consumers are buying experiences — and a sense of identity.”
Chinese brands are engaging global markets with a more open and colla-borative approach, driven by the country’s growing innovation capacity, market vitality and rising cultural appeal, said Wang Weiqiang, an associate professor at the business school of Zhengzhou University.
