A limited edition co branded milk tea, a stress relieving doll with exaggerated expressions, an intelligent pet that can respond to emotions... When consumption is no longer just for meeting functional needs, but for obtaining happiness, expressing personality, and finding emotional resonance, the "emotional economy" quietly emerges. Recently, several foreign media outlets have focused on the development of China's "emotional economy", pointing out that Chinese consumers are increasingly emphasizing the need for "self pleasure" in their decision-making. At the same time, a batch of "Chinese emotional value" products with more technological and cultural depth are accelerating their overseas expansion. From the string less guitar, which was selected as the best invention by Time magazine, to the sleep pillow based on the dream eating tapir in Shan Hai Jing, to the original beauty and autonomous companion robot... Chinese companies are emerging in the global "emotional economy" market, linking the "Chinese emotional value" to the world. In recent years, emotional consumption represented by theme parks, stress relieving toys, cosmetics, pet consumption, etc. has gradually become a bright spot in the Chinese consumer market, attracting attention from foreign media. From "selling products" to "selling emotions" and "emotional economy", IP trendy toys have become a personal symbol, AI interactive toys soothe daily emotions, immersive experiences, and pop-up stores flood social platforms. CNBC pointed out that Chinese consumers are increasingly willing to pay for experiences and emotional satisfaction, and the focus of consumption is shifting from purely material goods to experiential consumption that places more emphasis on spiritual feelings. Market data confirms the strong momentum of this trend. According to the "Insight Report on Consumption Trends of China's Emotional Economy from 2025 to 2029" released by iMedia Consulting, the market value of China's emotional economy has reached 2.7 trillion yuan by 2025, and is expected to exceed 4.5 trillion yuan by 2029. Why did 'emotional value' break through in the Chinese consumer market first? Multiple foreign media outlets have provided interpretations from different perspectives. Bloomberg recently published an article stating that against the backdrop of slowing global economic growth, China has outstanding competitiveness in the production of lightweight consumer goods such as jewelry and fragrances. Young people such as Generation Z are willing to "reward themselves" through small-scale consumption, and the mature industrial chain precisely meets this demand. The American financial news website Benzinga points out that the driving force behind the development of the emotional economy comes from the intergenerational replacement of consumers. The younger generation values experience and emotional satisfaction more. More and more local brands are actively conveying cultural connotations overseas while creating emotional value, further enhancing consumers' sense of identity and pride. The United Daily News of Malaysia observed from the perspective of pet consumption that Chinese consumption is upgrading from basic functional needs to deep emotional attachment, which is a vivid reflection of the adjustment of Chinese family structure and the change of social mentality. From "selling products" to "selling emotions", industry competition has evolved from price and quality competition to deep exploration of emotional value. Foreign media generally believe that the emotional economy has become a new driving force for consumption growth. According to expert analysis cited by Consumer News and Business Channel in the United States, the uniqueness of China's emotional economy lies in its ability to achieve counter trend growth against the backdrop of slowing overall consumer spending, prompting companies to rethink their value positioning. When analyzing the changes in China's consumption structure, Reuters pointed out that consumer goods and experiential services that can provide emotional satisfaction continue to be active and are becoming an important pivot for market growth. According to the evaluation of Vietnam's multilingual external communication platform, the emotional economy has developed from a niche market to an increasingly popular trend in China. This trillion yuan market is expected to become an important driving force for the sustained growth of Chinese consumption in the future. More intelligent and versatile "emotional economy" products are not only shining in China, but emotional economy is becoming a global trend. Recently, the authoritative independent market research firm Euromonitor International released a forecast that by 2028, the global market for sentiment enhancing products will grow at a compound annual growth rate of 12.3%. Analysis indicates that emotional resonance is shifting from a soft indicator to a strategic advantage for enterprises. In the wave of emotional economy, Chinese enterprises are rapidly emerging. The stringed guitar, which lowers the threshold for music learning, has been named Time magazine's best invention; The intelligent sleep pillow incorporating traditional imagery has become popular overseas; In Paris, Rotterdam, Barcelona and other places, there are long queues in front of Chinese IP trendy toy stores... A batch of products carrying "Chinese emotional value" are going global, touching global consumers with technological warmth and Eastern aesthetics. Technology empowers Chinese emotional products to be more "intelligent" and achieve precise emotional interaction. According to the Pakistani news channel Ary, the AI intelligent companion robots brought by Chinese companies at the 2026 International Consumer Electronics Show have attracted many visitors. According to the report, these new products have "warmth, breathing sensation, and make emotional interaction more real", and artificial intelligence toys have the potential to become a new driving force for consumption. The South African independent online news website stated that China is leading the world in applying AI tools to daily life, especially in the new track of alleviating loneliness. AI pets equipped with long-term memory function provide consumers with continuous emotional feedback, adding a new, furry dimension to the constantly evolving relationship between humans and AI. At the same time, more and more Chinese products are showcasing distinct cultural qualities in design and aesthetics, making the "Chinese emotional value" more recognizable. The Financial Times recently commented that domestic luxury brands in China are on the rise. Chinese brands defeat foreign competitors by emphasizing local characteristics, incorporating traditional elements into jewelry, and embedding Chinese aesthetics in furniture. The Korean newspaper Chosun Ilbo published an article stating that South Korean consumers' impression of Chinese brands is gradually shifting from "price advantage" to "boldness and fashion". In the fields of beauty and fashion, Chinese brands attract young people with vivid color combinations and unique designs, which coincides with the consumer culture that emphasizes visual expression and personality display in the era of social media. In a recent micro documentary released by Bloomberg, it was evaluated that China is transforming from a "world factory" to a "business innovator", from the globally popular plush toy Labubu to the award-winning game "Black Myth: Wukong". Chinese brands, chain stores, and retailers are capturing the hearts of global consumers. According to multiple foreign media reports, the popularity of Chinese emotional values in the global market is not accidental, but the result of the combined effects of cultural heritage, manufacturing strength, and digital economy development. Singapore's business media Marketing Interactive has focused on the aesthetic value of Chinese emotional products. "Taking the beauty and skincare industry as an example, Chinese brands are turning their products into storytelling canvases, deeply drawing on Chinese aesthetics and folklore. These brands are not pursuing Western standards, but redefining Chinese elegance. The success of Chinese cultural goods is providing a new way of expressing China's global image, according to an article in The Wall Street Journal. These seemingly lightweight cultural products are winning a wider international audience for China and may provide new space for expanding its influence in the economy, culture, and international affairs. The profound cultural heritage endows Chinese emotional consumption products with a unique Eastern aesthetic and emotional core, while China's complete and efficient manufacturing system provides solid support for emotional value to become popular products. The Manila Times, citing expert analysis, stated that China's manufacturing ecosystem has played a crucial role in transforming its profound cultural heritage into high-quality consumer goods. The rise of Chinese IP is the result of evolution in the past decade. It is the country's manufacturing capacity that supports this transformation and will continue to shape the development trajectory of China-Chic. ”At the same time, flexibly "capturing" and responding to emotions in the online environment allows the value of Chinese emotions to accurately "circle fans" in the world. The South China Morning Post recently commented that Chinese companies, from milk tea chain stores to blind box toy brands, are utilizing the strategic flexibility honed during the booming development of China's digital economy to rapidly expand overseas markets through the growing online distribution system. Singapore's Straits Times pointed out that the success of Chinese products not only depends on the flexible supply chain, but also comes from the sharp Internet thinking of businesses - manufacturers are increasingly paying attention to consumer feedback, turning consumer emotional needs into the key driving force for new products to be launched, taking the "crying horse" and other popular products in Yiwu as examples. (New Society)