Latest Posts
How international brands try to crack the code of China’s consumers – Ashley Dudarenok
While many foreign brands have a hard time selling to China’s consumers, some are able to crack the code, says branding expert Ashley Dudarenok at CNBC. “Brands are moving beyond superficial nods to Chinese culture,” Dudarenok said.Read More →
Key trends in Chinese B2B marketplaces – Ashley Dudarenok
Marketing guru Ashley Dudarenok dives into China’s B2B marketplaces and their latest key trends, including the top-10 platforms trying to get hold of the global market, at her website Chozan. “Trust is becoming a brand asset. Alibaba’s Trade Assurance, DHgate’s escrow, and Yiwugo’s secure payments provide buyers with additional protection. Video reviews, verified supplier programs, and standardization efforts help reduce fraud while ensuring shipments clear customs smoothly,” she writes.Read More →
What is the Douyin app? – Ashley Dudarenok
Marketing expert Ashley Dudarenok explains the difference between TikTok and its Chinese sister Douyin at her website Chozan. In 2025, Douyin was named China’s most valuable brand, with a valuation of US$105.8 billion. That marked a 26% increase from the previous year, driven by the platform’s deep integration into everyday digital life. In March 2025, Douyin reached 1 billion monthly active users in China. What exactly is Douyin?Read More →
Why China is not in a hurry to close a TikTok deal – Winston Ma
While the US has been busy floating the media with an upcoming deal on TikTok, China has been rather quiet, notes adjunct professor at NYU School of Law Winston Ma, author of The Digital War: How China’s Tech Power Shapes the Future of AI, Blockchain and Cyberspace on CNBC.Read More →
Fast changing e-commerce in China – Ashley Dudarenok
Drastic changes have been influencing e-commerce and the position of global brands in this fast-moving industry in China. Marketing expert Ashley Dudarenok provides an overview of the changes in the past few years on her website, Chozan.Read More →
Why China’s real estate crisis has not yet been solved – Victor Shih
Financial and political analyst Victor Shih, author of Factions and Finance in China: Elite Conflict and Inflation, discusses the current state of China’s real estate and why it has taken so long for China’s leadership to deal with this crisis. The bottoming-out process of the industry is not yet complete, he says at TaiwanPlus.Read More →
Is China still welcoming expats in 2025? – Gabor Holch
Gabor Hock, an intercultural leadership coach and author of Dragon Suit: The Golden Age of Expatriate Executives In China (2023), looks back at his China career over the past 25 years and wonders whether China is still welcoming expats in 2025 as much as it did in 2000 on his weblog.Read More →
How Urban Revivo takes on international competition – Gabor Holch
Consultant Gabor Holch looks at the efforts of Urban Revivo to take on international competition by opening. just like Zara, opening a major store in London. Gabor Holch, founder of East-West Leadership, a consultancy, predicted social and environmental issues, political issues, and data could also prove to be hurdles for Urban Revivo, he said, at Market Screener.Read More →
My take on China’s economy – Arthur Kroeber
Arthur Kroeber, author of China’s Economy: What Everyone Needs to Know, discusses the state of China’s current economy at the Center for Strategic and International Studies on September 9. “So there are a lot of problems. It’s not vibrant from a consumer standpoint. But from a productive standpoint, there’s a lot that’s going right,” he says, according to Social News XYZ.Read More →
New barrier will limit Nasdaq IPO’s for smaller Chinese companies – Winston Ma
The US exchange Nasdaq has proposed a US$25 million fee for IPOs of Chinese companies, a popular venue for raising money because domestic exchanges are more troublesome due to government regulations. The move will pose a major barrier, especially for the smaller firm from China, says financial analyst Winston Ma at CNBC.Read More →
How is living in a 1st tier city in China? – Kaiser Kuo
China veteran Kaiser Kuo recalls how it was living in Beijing and other 1st tier cities in China, compared to the US, in an interview at the Smart Cookies Podcast. “It’s a RAT RACE, but unlike the US, you only need 1 job!”, he adds.Read More →
A fundamental change in consumer attitude in China – Ashley Dudarenok
Internet giant Alibaba and leading university Peking University have joined forces to set up a new consumer index, the China Online Consumer Brand Index (CBI). Consumer expert Ashley Dudarenok highlights how the attitude of consumers has shifted in the world’s second economy over the past few years, as noted in Jing Daily.Read More →