When 42 year old Indonesian Devi first purchased a TV about 20 years ago, he chose a Chinese brand he had never heard of before: Changhong. At that time, Devi, who had just graduated from university, was very concerned about price, and the price of this Chinese brand was very affordable. To his surprise, this TV has been running well and even today, 20 years later, it still functions perfectly. Now, Devi not only owns Chinese branded televisions, but also many other Chinese branded tools and home appliances. Chinese brands are becoming increasingly popular among Southeast Asian consumers, and some Chinese brands have become well-known local names. Several experts have stated that Chinese products are not only more popular among the public, but will also continue to sell well in emerging markets such as Indonesia and Malaysia. I think this is because people's perception of China has changed, "said Li Peimei, a scholar in the Department of Political Science at the International Islamic University of Malaysia." Nowadays, people no longer see China as the world's factory, but as a technological powerhouse. Therefore, consumers have more confidence in Chinese brands. "As an entrepreneur in the information technology industry, Devi believes that the presence of Chinese products in Indonesia is due to multiple factors," including increased advertising and marketing, easier access to relevant product information, and faster innovation speed of Chinese products. In addition to Chinese branded electronic products, in recent years, food and beverages from China have also flooded into Indonesia and other Southeast Asian markets. Malaysia and Singapore have become the Southeast Asian countries with the highest concentration of Chinese food and beverage brands. Alina, a Malaysian student who frequently visits Bawang Tea Lady stores, said, "I have no prejudice against Chinese product stores or brands. It has nothing to do with the country but with the quality of the products." Aditya, who works as the Director of Strategic Communications at a company in Malaysia, also expressed a similar view. The 49 year old purchased a Chinese brand electric car about 10 months ago. He has also been using smartphones, televisions, vacuum cleaners, and other products produced in China. Jakarta suburban mobile phone seller Lazci noticed that Chinese mobile phones have been dominating the Indonesian market since around 2015. Most of his clients are young people like gamers. This group of people is price conscious and knows what they want because they can easily access information about various phone models online. Lazci said, "More and more people are buying Chinese brand phones because they often offer higher configurations. Their prices are also more affordable. The price difference is huge." He also said that the price of a Chinese phone is only half of that of other brand phones, but its configuration is equivalent to twice that of the latter. In addition to consumer goods, Chinese car brands are also becoming increasingly popular in Indonesia and Malaysia. Zakwan, a researcher at the Indonesian Center for Strategic and International Studies, said that various factors are driving Chinese products and brands to become increasingly popular in the regional market. From China's perspective, this is driven by China's increase in large-scale production and manufacturing capacity, and the domestic ecosystem is also conducive to Chinese companies exporting products to developing countries. "He said," From Indonesia's perspective, most Indonesian consumers may be price sensitive, and with the support of extensive promotional activities, they find Chinese brands more attractive. "Nugroho, a trade and investment expert at the Indonesian Institute of Economic and Financial Development, said that the competitiveness of Chinese brands comes from conducting research and development activities seriously, thereby producing high-quality mass-produced products. In addition, the Chinese government also provides incentives for Chinese companies to sell mass-produced goods at lower prices. However, experts also indicate that Chinese brands still face challenges in emerging markets such as Indonesia and Malaysia. Nevertheless, they also stated that Chinese brands will continue to rapidly develop in the regional market. In addition, rational consumers who are not obsessed with brands and prioritize functionality may continue or further embrace Chinese brands. (New Society)