China's economy delivered a standout performance in the first quarter of this year. Data released by the National Bureau of Statistics on the 16th shows that the preliminary calculation of the gross domestic product (GDP) reached 33.4193 trillion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 5.0% calculated at constant prices. A significant engine driving GDP growth was the rapid expansion of goods imports and exports, with the international market demonstrating strong demand for China's smart and green products. Simultaneously, vitality in the domestic consumer market continued to be unleashed, and consumption experiences for international visitors in China gained momentum. From Chinese companies deepening their involvement in overseas clean energy projects to foreign consumers proactively traveling to China to "discover new trends," the picture of both internal and external demand jointly propelling economic growth is becoming increasingly clear.
Exports of "green energy" products are particularly strong. The driving force behind export growth stems from the transition of "Made in China" to "Innovated in China." Data from the National Bureau of Statistics indicates that in the first quarter, the output of 3D printing equipment, lithium-ion batteries, and industrial robots increased by 54.0%, 40.8%, and 33.2% year-on-year, respectively. Customs data further confirms this upgrading trend: China's exports of mechanical and electrical products in the first quarter reached 4.34 trillion yuan, up 18.3% year-on-year, accounting for 63.4% of the total export value, an increase of 3.5 percentage points compared to the same period last year. Among these, exports of green products such as electric vehicles, lithium batteries, and wind turbine generators and their parts grew by 77.5%, 50.4%, and 45.2%, respectively. At the recently opened sixth China International Consumer Products Expo and the Canton Fair, robots, smart glasses, and biopharmaceutical products became focal points for foreign visitors.
At the enterprise level, the data is more direct. The vice president of industrial robot company Efort Intelligent Equipment Co., Ltd. revealed that the company exported approximately 150 industrial robots in the first quarter, generating revenue between 11 and 13 million yuan. These exports were primarily directed towards European countries such as Italy, France, Germany, Poland, and Hungary. He stated, "Currently, there is significant demand in Europe for welding, painting, and general-purpose robots. To quickly deploy Chinese robots and seize market opportunities, some foreign clients are sending their engineering teams directly to China for training." Concurrently, Chinese companies specializing in the clean energy sector are steadily advancing the simultaneous overseas expansion of their products and services. In February, a 99-megawatt photovoltaic project undertaken by North International Cooperation Co., Ltd. in Knate, Croatia, was successfully connected to the grid and commenced commercial operation as scheduled. This project is the largest operational photovoltaic power station in Croatia, capable of meeting the annual electricity demand of approximately 50,000 households and reducing carbon dioxide emissions by about 150,000 tons per year. Chinese enterprises have now become the largest wind power project investor and the largest photovoltaic project contractor in Croatia.
Data shows that domestic consumption maintained a significant share of contribution to GDP in the first quarter. The highlights of the consumer market come not only from the vast domestic market of over 1.4 billion people but also from the experiential consumption of international visitors actively coming to China to "discover new trends." The CEO of the Chinese region for Thai company T.C. Pharmaceutical, which has been in the Chinese market for over 30 years, stated that they remain optimistic about the consumption potential of China's ultra-large market, as the outline of the 15th Five-Year Plan continues to place consumption in an important strategic position. At the Consumer Products Expo, an Italian beauty stylist on his first business trip to China gave the Chinese consumer market a "10 out of 10," believing there are "plenty of opportunities" and even suggesting he might open a beauty salon in China in the future. The Governor of Lubuskie Province, Poland, mentioned at the expo that the province had signed a memorandum to deepen friendly cooperation with Hainan Province. He also expressed belief that Polish consumers would greatly enjoy products with distinctive Chinese cultural characteristics.
The performance in the South Korean market is particularly typical. According to a report, a Chinese cosmetics brand recently gained rapid popularity after opening a store in Seoul, with its "princess-style" designed products attracting large numbers of young South Korean women. Despite some products being priced higher than local alternatives, consumers noted their "excellent color payoff, texture, and novel design," showing willingness to pay a premium for a differentiated experience. The report stated that South Korean consumers' perception of Chinese cosmetics is shifting from "cheap substitutes" to "brands with competitive design and quality," a change especially evident among younger female demographics. This trend extends to the technology sector, where Chinese brands like BYD, Xiaomi, and TCL are accelerating their entry into the South Korean market through a combination of "high cost-performance and technological breakthroughs." A resident of Goyang-si mentioned that after a skeptical initial purchase based on a friend's recommendation, his actual experience differed greatly from previous impressions, and he now directly compares Chinese brands with leading local companies when making purchasing decisions.
The current landscape for going global now requires companies to establish a localized, systematic service model. Therefore, when building European sales and service teams, local employees are selected and sent to China for systematic study and training. The innovation and operational concepts of Chinese enterprises are being learned from by overseas peers. One European client's daughter proactively applied to study and work in China and has now become a key member of the company's overseas brand promotion efforts.
An analysis suggests that China's economy is currently transitioning from factor-driven to innovation-driven growth, achieving upgrades on both the supply and demand sides. The strong sales of industrial robots and smart green products signal China's leap from being the "world's factory" to becoming a global supply hub and innovation center. This round of export growth represents a long-term alignment between global demand and China's industrial upgrading. The global transition towards green, low-carbon, and digital-smart technologies is irreversible, and China's smart green products are precisely filling supply gaps. In the consumption sector, China is evolving from a "trend follower" to a "trend setter" and is gradually moving towards becoming a source of global consumption innovation. Short video platforms and cross-border e-commerce systems have streamlined the pathways from discovery to purchase. Chinese original brands are achieving breakthroughs in aesthetics, design, and technology, breaking the monopoly on premium pricing held by foreign brands. Furthermore, visa-free policies encouraging young international visitors to experience consumption in China will further solidify China's leading position in global consumption trends. The resonance between its ultra-large market, flexible supply chains, digital globalization, and original brand capability makes China a rapid incubator and implementation platform for consumption innovation.
A professor of business administration at Dankook University in South Korea believes that facilitated personnel exchanges between China and South Korea provide more opportunities for South Korean youth to be exposed to consumer goods in China. Reports indicate that a growing number of consumers are choosing to browse and test products intensively during trips to China, followed by bulk purchases via cross-border e-commerce. This "experience first, repurchase later" consumption path is gradually becoming a new trend for Chinese products going global.