Key facts
- Chinese companies expanded their global market share in nearly 40% of major goods and services last year.
- Significant gains were observed in electric vehicles, cutting-edge materials, and digital products.
- Chinese automakers became the world's top-selling carmakers in 2025, overtaking Japan.
- BYD surpassed Tesla in pure electric vehicle sales volume.
- Overseas markets are now the primary growth driver for China's home appliance and smart hardware sectors.
Chinese companies have significantly expanded their global market share across various sectors, with nearly 40% of major goods and services seeing increased presence last year, according to a Nikkei analysis. Notable growth areas include electric vehicles (EVs), cutting-edge materials, and digital products.
In the automotive sector, Chinese manufacturers achieved a landmark in 2025 by becoming the world's top-selling carmakers, surpassing Japan for the first time in 25 years. China's automakers sold approximately 27 million vehicles globally, compared to Japan's roughly 25 million. This shift saw companies like BYD and Geely surpass established Japanese brands such as Nissan and Honda in annual sales rankings. BYD, in particular, emerged as the top seller of pure electric vehicles globally, with sales of 2.2567 million units, exceeding Tesla's volume.
China's overall global market share in automobiles rose to 35.6% for the full year 2025. The expansion was also evident in overseas sales, with BYD reporting 1.05 million vehicles sold abroad, a 145% year-on-year increase. SAIC Motor also contributed significantly with 1.071 million vehicles sold internationally.
The trend extends to the home appliance and smart hardware industry, where overseas markets are now identified as the core growth engine. Despite domestic market challenges, Chinese manufacturers like Midea Group, Haier Smart Home, and Hisense Home Appliances are steadily increasing their global market share. Midea Group, for instance, reported a 15.92% overseas revenue growth in 2025, significantly outpacing its domestic performance.