Against the backdrop of escalating geopolitical tensions, the Chinese Communist Party had previously incited nationalism among the people to boycott foreign goods. However, the latest trends indicate a significant shift in Chinese consumers’ behavior: pragmatism and the pursuit of quality are gradually replacing blindly following the official stance, becoming the driving force behind purchasing decisions.
In recent times, while geopolitical disputes and trade tariff issues have intensified in Sino-Japanese and Sino-American relations, the private consumption market in China appears to be running parallel unaffected by these tensions.
Since Japanese Prime Minister Souen Takai made remarks concerning Taiwan at the end of last year, sparking strong protests from Beijing leading to a series of measures to deter people from traveling to Japan, such as warnings against Japanese travel, data from the hotel booking platform Tripla shows a 57% increase in bookings by Chinese tourists at Japanese hotels during the Chinese New Year holiday period (February 15 to February 23) compared to the previous year’s New Year period (January 28 to February 4).
“It’s just something the leaders said, it doesn’t mean the people of this country will necessarily change their attitudes,” a 23-year-old Beijing resident surnamed Xiao told the Associated Press while waiting in line outside a Japanese sushi restaurant, indicating that geopolitical and diplomatic relations have little impact on her consumer habits.
The Associated Press cited analysis from Shaun Rein, Managing Director of China Market Research Group (CMR), stating that Chinese consumers are no longer buying solely for the sake of buying Chinese brands. In an environment of economic uncertainty and job anxiety, consumers are prioritizing brands that align with their values and lifestyle definitions.
Rein cited the example of many consumers feeling mentally exhausted due to the weak economy turning to Hollywood movies like “Zootopia 2” just to seek relaxation and an escape from reality amidst immense pressure.
According to data, “Zootopia 2” broke records in China with a box office revenue exceeding 4.4 billion Chinese yuan (approximately 634 million US dollars), making it the highest-grossing Hollywood film in Chinese history.
In the past, the Chinese government had incited large-scale anti-Japanese demonstrations multiple times. According to records, major demonstrations occurred in 2005 and 2012, with the latter triggered by the dispute over the Diaoyu Islands (known as the Senkaku Islands in Japan), leading to large-scale anti-Japanese protests where citizens in dozens of cities vandalized Japanese-owned stores and threw glass bottles and eggs at the Japanese embassy.
However, why have these protests disappeared in recent years? Shen Chien-yuan, Director of the Taiwan Democratic Academy, analyzed for Epoch Times, stating that after years of mobilization, the Chinese people have become more disciplined, learning to maintain “calm” and no longer blindly follow the government’s stance.
In the previous years, Chinese tourists flocking to Japan and engaging in buying sprees of Japanese products became a trend. According to figures from the Japan National Tourism Organization, the number of Chinese tourists visiting Japan had increased by over 53% by the first half of last year, making China the top country for visitors to Japan for three consecutive years. In 2024, Chinese tourists spent 1.54 trillion Japanese yen (110.82 billion US dollars) in Japan, accounting for 34% of the total consumption.
Shen further offered insights from a social control perspective, explaining that over a decade ago, large-scale anti-Japanese protests erupted in mainland China due to official tacit approval at the time and a still imperfect social control system. However, the current environment is vastly different.
Modern surveillance systems have been fully established in Chinese metropolitan areas, linked with the “social credit system.” Shen emphasized, “Without approval, any illegal acts such as going to the streets, protesting, or vandalizing shops definitely will be punished.” With modern communication technology, authorities can easily detect any social mobilization through the internet or mobile phones, so the government can no longer feign ignorance as in the past.
Shen further analyzed that the public is aware that even under the guise of “patriotism,” excessive actions would violate relevant laws on social order under any government’s changing stance, potentially turning individuals into “scapegoats.”
Despite the Communist regime’s usual incitement of nationalist sentiment and using propaganda to condemn countries deemed to violate Chinese sovereignty, it appears that pure nationalism is finding it difficult to sway Chinese consumers who have the autonomy to select their purchases.
From the surge in hotel bookings in Japan, the record-breaking success of American animated movies, to the robust growth of high-end Western fashion brands, the signs indicate that Chinese consumers are no longer easily swayed by official stances but lean more towards products that resonate with their personal values and lifestyle.
In response, American economist Davy J. Wong made sharp observations, indicating that China’s consumption core has shifted towards “functional experiences, cost-effectiveness, and identity narratives.”
In an interview with the Epoch Times, Wong pointed out that so-called nationalist brands initially marketed through excessive nationalist consumption campaigns often suffer a mismatch between product quality and price, with essential functionalities often lacking.
Wong straightforwardly exposed that while some domestic brands excel in monitoring and restrictions, they falter in software ecosystems, global integration, data security, and after-sales maintenance, almost resembling a “religious artifact” that cannot be challenged, denied, or questioned.
Regarding the decline in the Chinese national trend, Wong conducted an in-depth analysis, indicating that after gaining initial market dominance, the drawbacks of domestic substitute products instilled fear in consumers.
He further highlighted that a significant drawback for domestic national brands is the inability to install most globally popular software, rendering devices unable to communicate globally.
In terms of security, he bluntly stated that “Apple’s security far exceeds these so-called national brands.” He criticized domestic brands for their poor performance in preventing fraud, thwarting malicious software, or preventing backdoor hijacking, where user messages may be under surveillance.
Additionally, pricing strategy mishaps have accelerated consumer defections. Wong observed that current domestic substitute products tend to be pricier than imported major brands, demonstrating a “higher price, lower cost-effectiveness” trend.
Against the backdrop of consumer downgrading, lower-income groups are turning to second-hand imported goods due to economic downturns, while middle to high-end consumers lean towards imported goods for safety and peace of mind.
Wong straightforwardly stated, “The common people, for the sake of survival, fundamentally do not care about patriotism but focus more on cost-effectiveness and quality comparisons.”
Aside from inherent product flaws, corporate ethics have also impacted consumer choices.
A former foreign enterprise manager in Shanghai, Cao Peng, told the Epoch Times that one key reason why Chinese consumers are no longer supporting domestic products is due to issues of “maltreatment of workers and shirking responsibility.”
Cao pointed out that in the past, Chinese brands often touted themselves internationally as “cheap and good,” using subsidies and “advantages of low welfare, low wages, and low human rights” to dump their products in the market. Some major brands, when faced with product quality-related disputes leading to fatal consequences, often resort to legal means to avoid compensation and even imprison workers seeking compensation.
Cao believes that logical Chinese consumers have become disgusted with such corporate practices.
Comparatively, Tesla and Apple changed Chinese consumers’ purchasing perceptions because they uphold quality and respect for individuals. “Products are made by people; treating people well will lead to quality products.”
Independent consumer analyst Jiang Yaling added that local commercial operations in China are not swayed by geopolitical influences as consumers prefer to freely choose based on their preferences. She pointed out that the notion that Chinese consumers will follow Beijing’s xenophobic mandates is misleading.
Professor Xie Tian from the School of Business Administration at the University of South Carolina Aiken shared insights with the Epoch Times, stating that Chinese consumers’ decision-making, especially among middle-class and young demographics, has gradually freed itself from the Communist Party’s brainwashing of “party culture” and nationalist propaganda.
He believes that when political propaganda no longer holds sway, consumers will exhibit an innate nature to pursue high-quality, authentic, and beautiful goods, no longer blindly adhering to calls to “boycott Japanese goods” initiated by the government.
The gradual disappearance and cleanup of communist elements have allowed the public to reclaim their identity as independent consumers, reaffirming traditional conservative values and pursuit of quality culture. Xie highlighted that this illustrates a profound ideological transformation taking place in Chinese society.
He emphasized that especially during times of economic decline, consumers prefer to invest limited funds in excellent and durable products rather than blindly supporting domestically produced items based on propaganda directives.