In my last post I touched on the Chinese Government’s ‘Made in China’ promotional advertisement. I took the view that Chinese companies were increasingly serious about their products quality and integrity and becoming brand aware.

Recent surveys by the World Bank and the leading international brand development and valuation companies show that Chinese brands are on the move internationally. The big State-owned banks, technology and oil companies are now consistently in the top 100 and a number of them threaten the top 20 in the near future.

Remember that these brands (for example, banks like ICBC and Bank of China, the oil giant Sinopec and China Mobile) essentially did not exist 10 years ago. Much in the same way that the top Japanese brands like Sanyo, Panasonic and Toyota were 30 years ago, and Korean companies like LG, Samsung and Hyundai had no international presence 10-15 years ago.

We are all aware of the times when the phrase ‘Made in Hong Kong/Japan/Korea’ was used in a derisory manner to indicate low quality and unreliability. How things have changed (even despite Toyota’s current woes).

There are now a large number of Chinese companies that are poised to move into the world’s best brands lists in the next decade. Companies like Huawei, Midea, BYD and Haier to name a few.

Take Haier for example. One of China’s largest companies, they are now the 4th largest home appliance manufacturer in the world. You may have seen their low-cost and energy efficient refrigerators and air conditioners in your local stores. In many ways Haier have outmarketed and outplayed GE and the Japanese producers. Expect to see this company rocket up the leading brand lists in the future.

BYD (Build Your Dreams), the Chinese car manufacturer which has a special interest in electric vehicles and is the recipient of Warren Buffet investment, is also a brand that could be on everyone’s lips in the future. I will talk more of them in later posts.

And what does this increased brand awareness and success mean for online retailers sourcing products from China? One of the flow-on effects is that small to mid range Chinese manufacturers, including online suppliers, are rapidly improving their game in order to remain competitive – both in terms of cost and quality. We are currently seeing this on DHgate.com

Read more blogs like this on my “The View from China” blog at Practical eCommerce. Don’t forget to let me know what you think!