'Brand China' takes aim at global electronics giants
SINGAPORE, June 20, 2010 (AFP) – After decades building its
reputation as the go-to country for electronics manufacturers, China
intention to promote its own brands and produce the world's next Sony or
Samsung was obvious during a massive telecoms exhibition in Singapore.
While foreign giants such as Apple, Dell and Nokia have taken
advantage of China's vast pool of cheap labour to manufacture or
assemble their products, the country's own electronics firms are now
looking to make their presence felt in the global marketplace.
Chinese firms led by heavyweights Huawei Technologies and ZTE
Corporation flew the Asian giant's flag proudly at the massive annual
CommunicAsia and BroadcastAsia trade fairs in Singapore, signalling the
rise of a new power in the industry.
They were the top foreign exhibitors with 257 booths displaying
everything from sleek tablet computers to slim mobile phones with
Chinese branding, proof that the country is not just a cheap production
centre for Western firms.
Once dominated by European and North American brands, the global
telecoms industry is now more fragmented, and Chinese companies have
joined the Japanese and South Koreans on the front lines of the battle
for Asian and global market share.
Finland's Nokia is still the world's biggest mobile phone
manufacturer, followed by Samsung and LG Electronics, the twin giants of
South Korea's high-tech industry.
One of the most popular Chinese brands is Huawei Technologies, which
had a massive booth at CommunicAsia displaying its mobile phones and
tablets.
And beyond consumer devices, Chinese firms are also supplying
digital encoders and receivers to the telecoms industry.
Technology consultancy IDC said the global telecom industry is now
worth 1.5 trillion dollars a year, with the mobile sector accounting for
than half of the total.
"More and more Chinese companies are paying more attention to the
exhibitions overseas," said Tina Feng, who is in charge of international
sales with Chengdu Dexin Digital Technology, a wireless equipment
maker.
"You know, China has developed very fast so they can supply
high-quality stuff now, and they want to show it through their
products," she told AFP, beaming with obvious national pride.
She said her company, just a visitor to the show in 2008, decided to
exhibit for the first time this year after spotting plenty of
opportunities to reach out to new markets.
"There are many customers from Asia so our company hope to enlarge
this market," Feng said.
"It's been rather busy for us at the show. We should be back next
year again," she smiled.
Chinese participation at this year's show, which ended Friday,
jumped 21 percent from 2009 and the interest is not only coming from the
major players, according to organiser Singapore Exhibition Services
(SES).
"It is not just the Huawei or the ZTE that you are talking about but
you see a lot more group participation, and you also see a lot more of
the medium-sized enterprises taking part," said Victor Wong, SES project
director for communications events.
They were also the largest foreign exhibitor last year, but only by a
small margin, said Wong.
Prior to that, the United States had the biggest number of foreign
booths in 2008, but American firms were a distant second at this year's
show with 179 exhibitors.
"I think one of the reasons for them to come out is they want to
export, they find that it is really worthwhile for them to do so because
if you continue to do stay in China, you can only compete on price," he
said.
"I think we have confidence that the Chinese participation will
continue to grow," Wong added.
Alan Yin, a regional sales director with Chinese electronics company
Konka Group, is convinced his country has what it takes to produce the
world's next Samsung, Sony or Motorola.
"In the past years, we have learnt technology from the Western
countries but now a lot of Chinese companies have invested a lot in
research and development in the high-tech area.
"I am sure in the next 10 or 20 years later, Chinese companies will
be stronger," Yin said.
- wong chee tat :)
