I. Opportunities
(1) Growing Market Demand
Many countries along the “Belt and Road” are experiencing good economic development and gradually improving living standards of residents, showing a clear upward trend in the demand for consumer electronics. Take the ASEAN region as an example, its home appliance market size is expected to exceed 30 billion US dollars in 2025, with an annual growth rate of more than 8%. This huge market demand provides a broad development space for Chinese television enterprises. In addition, in Central Asian countries such as Uzbekistan, with the prosperity of the real estate market, residents’ demand for televisions and other household appliances is also increasing continuously, providing strong market support for the sales of televisions.
(2) Expanding Trade Scale
In recent years, China’s trade with countries along the “Belt and Road” has become more frequent and the trade scale has continued to expand. In 2023, China’s imports and exports to countries along the “Belt and Road” grew by 16.8%, of which exports were 2.04 trillion yuan, up by 25.3%. In the long term, over the past 10 years, the proportion of China’s imports and exports to countries along the route in the overall foreign trade has increased from 25% in 2013 to 32.9% in 2022. In the first three quarters of 2024, the total trade volume between China and countries along the “Belt and Road” reached 157.4277 billion US dollars, up by 4.53% year-on-year, accounting for 34.6% of China’s total foreign trade volume. This data fully shows that the “Belt and Road” initiative has provided great market potential for the export of consumer electronics such as televisions in China, and the continuous expansion of the trade scale has brought more business opportunities and economic benefits to Chinese television enterprises.
(3) Strengthening Investment Cooperation
In order to attract foreign investment and promote economic development, some countries along the “Belt and Road” have introduced a series of preferential policies such as tax incentives. These preferential policies provide favorable conditions for Chinese television enterprises to invest and build factories. For example, Central Asian countries such as Uzbekistan, with their rich natural resources and relatively low labor costs, have attracted a large number of Chinese enterprises to invest there. Chinese television enterprises can take advantage of the local investment policy advantages to build production bases, reduce production costs, enhance the market competitiveness of their products, and at the same time, help promote local economic development and achieve win-win cooperation.
(4) Diversified Export Structure
With the help of the “Belt and Road” initiative, Chinese television enterprises can expand diversified export markets, reduce dependence on traditional markets such as Europe and America, and enhance their risk resistance capabilities. Against the background of increasing uncertainties in the global economic situation, this diversified market layout is crucial for the stable development of enterprises. From January to May 2024, China’s home appliance exports to Africa increased by 16.8% year-on-year, and exports to the Arab League market increased by 15.1% year-on-year. This data fully reflects the export growth trend of consumer electronics such as televisions from China to emerging markets along the “Belt and Road”. The formation of a diversified export structure helps Chinese television enterprises better cope with various risks and challenges in the global market.
II. Challenges
(1) Trade Barriers and Risks
Although the “Belt and Road” initiative has promoted economic cooperation among countries along the route, some countries still have a tendency towards trade protectionism and may set up trade barriers, such as increasing tariffs and setting technical standards, to increase the difficulty of exporting Chinese televisions. In addition, unstable factors such as geopolitical conflicts also bring risks to Chinese television enterprises. For example, as the conflict between Russia and Ukraine intensifies, Chinese enterprises face sanctions risks and compliance challenges in exports to Russia. This not only affects the normal trade activities of enterprises but also may lead to a loss of market confidence, increasing the operating costs and uncertainties of enterprises.
(2) Intensified Market Competition
With the advancement of the “Belt and Road” initiative, the attractiveness of the markets along the route is constantly increasing, and market competition is becoming more and more fierce. On the one hand, television brands from other countries will also increase their layout in the markets along the route and compete for market share. On the other hand, the local television industries in some countries along the route are gradually developing and will also form certain competition with Chinese products. This requires Chinese television enterprises to continuously enhance their core competitiveness, optimize product performance and service quality, in order to cope with the competitive pressure from domestic and foreign peers.
(3) Cultural and Consumption Differences
There are many countries along the “Belt and Road”, and there are great differences in culture and consumption habits. Consumers in different countries have different demands and preferences for the functions, appearance, brand recognition and other aspects of televisions. For example, consumers in some countries may pay more attention to the intelligent interconnection functions of televisions, while consumers in other countries may value the durability and cost-effectiveness of the products more. Chinese television enterprises need to have a deep understanding of the local market and adjust their product strategies to meet the needs of different consumers. This undoubtedly increases the market research and product development costs of enterprises and puts forward higher requirements for the market adaptability of enterprises.
III. Coping Strategies
(1) Technological Innovation and Product Upgrading
In the context of increasingly fierce global competition in the consumer electronics market, technological innovation is the key for enterprises to maintain competitiveness. Chinese television enterprises should increase R & D investment, improve the technological content and added value of television products, such as developing high-end products like smart TVs, high-definition TVs, and quantum dot TVs, to meet the demand of consumers in countries along the route for high-quality electronic products. Through technological innovation, enterprises can improve the degree of product differentiation, enhance brand competitiveness, and thus stand out in the fierce market competition.
(2) Strengthening Brand Building and Marketing
Brand is an important asset of an enterprise. In the markets along the “Belt and Road”, brand awareness and reputation are crucial for the sales of television products. Chinese television enterprises should focus on brand promotion, and enhance the brand’s awareness and reputation in countries along the route through participating in international exhibitions, holding product launches, carrying out advertising campaigns and other ways. At the same time, strengthen cooperation with local dealers and retailers, expand sales channels, establish a complete sales and service network, and improve consumers’ recognition and loyalty to the brand.
(3) Deepening Industrial Cooperation
In order to better adapt to the market demand along the “Belt and Road”, Chinese enterprises television should strengthen cooperation with countries along the route in the television industry chain. For example, establish raw material production bases in resource-rich countries to ensure the stable supply of raw materials, and set up assembly factories in countries with low labor costs to reduce production costs. Through deepening industrial cooperation, enterprises can achieve complementary advantages, improve industrial synergy, and enhance their position in the global industrial chain.
(4) Paying Attention to Policy Dynamics and Risk Early Warning
When conducting foreign trade business along the “Belt and Road”, Chinese television enterprises need to closely monitor the changes in policies and regulations of countries along the route and adjust their business strategies in time. At the same time, strengthen the construction of risk early warning mechanism to prevent trade risks in advance. Enterprises can maintain close communication with government departments, industry associations and other organizations to obtain the latest policy information and market dynamics, formulate corresponding risk response plans, and ensure the stable operation of enterprises.
Post time: Jun-24-2025
