AliExpress and Tmall Launch Growth Plan for 1,000 Chinese Brands

AliExpress and Tmall announced at a summit in Shenzhen, China, a joint plan to support leading brands, manufacturer brands, and AI-enabled smart hardware brands in both domestic and overseas markets.

Companies like Midea, Haier, and TCL joined the leading brands track, according to an Economic Observer report.

The plan targets over 1,000 manufacturer brands to double their growth, and more than 100 AI-powered smart hardware brands incubated by the platform through an angel-round investment.

The move reflects the two platforms' effort to shift Chinese factories from contract manufacturing for other brands to building their own brands to compete abroad.

What do these terms mean?

Manufacturer brand: A company that owns the factory or manufactures the product itself, but does not necessarily own a brand widely recognized by consumers.

Angel investment: Early-stage funding provided by companies or individuals to an emerging brand in exchange for equity, often before it proves its business model.

Cross-border e-commerce: Selling products from a seller in one country to a buyer in another country via an online platform.