Government officials pledged further supportive measures to help China's home grown companies further grow their brands, as the first International Forum on China Brand Development kicked off in Shanghai today during the Exposition on China Indigenous Brand.
The country is pushing forward in a shift from "Made in China" to "Branded in China," industry watchers and entrepreneurs from both the public and private sectors discussed today.
The expo, hosted by the National Development and Reform Commission jointly with the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China, the Ministry of Agriculture, and the Ministry of Commerce, is the first of its kind after the State Council last year designated a Chinese Brands Day to be held on May 10 each year.
"Chinese companies shall also better leverage the Belt and Road initiative to seek more international cooperation and extend their global footprint, while at the same time learning good practices from their overseas counterparts," Vice Premier Hu Chunhua told the keynote speech at the International Forum on China Brand Development on Thursday morning.
Nian Yong, Director of the Coordination Division of the National Development and Reform Commission, urged enterprises to focus on the enhancement of quality and said that only through long-term efforts of building trustworthy quality can they become well-recognized brands.
He also called for social organizations to provide support in the setting up of a brand theory to better support the establishment of local brands.
Sha Nansheng, Deputy Director of the Science and Technology Department of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, said there shall be an appropriate understanding that China's industry is large in size yet still lagging in quality, and that the ministry will work to enhance a value-added industry with strong competitiveness.
"We will also focus on fostering industry clusters that fully reflect the area's expertise and specialty features," he added.
According to data from Alibaba's consumer retail site Tmall, in sectors such as furniture, household appliances, construction and decoration materials and accessories, Chinese brands held 70 percent market share in 2017, while in sporting goods, consumer electronics, personal care and beauty products, they're lagging behind their imported counterparts.
As many as 46 percent of online sales of Chinese brands from Tmall are coming from areas without physical outlets as online shopping has broadened its reach to a wider customer base and a larger geographical area.
The three-day fair is open to the public for free and hosts 600 brands from both the public and private sectors.
