The importance of the Chinese Information Technology industry in changing the image of the “Made in China”

Abstract

Over the past two decades, the “Made in China” label has been experiencing a conceptual change, switching from a negative image of low-quality low-value goods, to that of innovated high-technological products. Such a transformation can be attributed to both governmental policies, like the “Made in China 2025”, aimed at switching the focus of the Chinese manufacturing towards innovation and quality, and to the fast development of the Chinese Information Technology industry, promoted also by the government policies themselves. Currently China is ranked amongst the most innovated and advanced countries for what concerns technological products, and is starting to move away from its depiction as “the world’s factory”. The present work aims at analysing the role that the Chinese Information Technology is having in shaping the image of the “Made in China”, describing firstly the transformation that such label has been undergoing and the governmental policies aimed at changing it, to then move to the analysis of the Chinese Information Technology industry and its development path. Finally, the work aims at presenting the strategy of some of the major Chinese Information Technology firms, like Huawei and Xiaomi, in introducing their products to western consumers and overcoming the “Made in China” burden.