
Made in China or Made in PRC is a
country of origin
Country of origin (CO) represents the country or countries of manufacture, production, design, or brand origin where an article or product comes from. For multinational brands, CO may include multiple countries within the value-creation proce ...
label, often in English, affixed to products wholly or partially made in the
People's Republic of China
China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. With population of China, a population exceeding 1.4 billion, it is the list of countries by population (United Nations), second-most populous country after ...
(PRC). The label became prominent in the 1990s, when foreign companies based in the United States, Europe, and Asia moved their
manufacturing operations to China due to China's low
production costs of clothing, electronics, and other goods.
Goods "made in China" have been produced through
supply chain
A supply chain is a complex logistics system that consists of facilities that convert raw materials into finished products and distribute them to end consumers or end customers, while supply chain management deals with the flow of goods in distri ...
s that usually included multiple countries along the way.
History
The historical roots of "Made in China" date back to the early 1940s during the
Second Sino-Japanese War
The Second Sino-Japanese War was fought between the Republic of China (1912–1949), Republic of China and the Empire of Japan between 1937 and 1945, following a period of war localized to Manchuria that started in 1931. It is considered part ...
when Chinese civilians boycotted Japanese-made products, reflecting a desire for domestic production and
economic independence.
The label was first widely used during the Japanese occupation of China in the
Second Sino-Japanese War
The Second Sino-Japanese War was fought between the Republic of China (1912–1949), Republic of China and the Empire of Japan between 1937 and 1945, following a period of war localized to Manchuria that started in 1931. It is considered part ...
, when Chinese civilians began to boycott Japanese-made products. At the time,
China's economy lacked a framework for effective
industrialization
Industrialisation (British English, UK) American and British English spelling differences, or industrialization (American English, US) is the period of social and economic change that transforms a human group from an agrarian society into an i ...
. As such, boycotting foreign-made products and buying domestic ones at that time became a way to put pressure on the Japanese economy under the so-called "national salvation effort".
By the early 21st century, goods labeled "Made in China" were often only partially made in China, such as US-designed
iPhone
The iPhone is a line of smartphones developed and marketed by Apple that run iOS, the company's own mobile operating system. The first-generation iPhone was announced by then–Apple CEO and co-founder Steve Jobs on January 9, 2007, at ...
.
In 2015, China devised "
Made in China 2025
Made in China 2025 (MIC25, MIC 2025, or MIC2025; )[Made in China 2025](_blank)
. CSIS, June 1, 20 ...
", the government's ten-year plan to update national manufacturing base by rapid development of local
high-tech
High technology (high tech or high-tech), also known as advanced technology (advanced tech) or exotechnology, is technology that is at the cutting edge: the highest form of technology available. It can be defined as either the most complex or ...
industry.
The phrase "Made in China" is undergoing a transformation from its traditional associations with low quality to now encompassing advanced applications such as artificial intelligence and semiconductor technology.
Quality and perception
According to long-term research published by
European Central Bank
The European Central Bank (ECB) is the central component of the Eurosystem and the European System of Central Banks (ESCB) as well as one of seven institutions of the European Union. It is one of the world's Big Four (banking)#International ...
in 2011, the quality of Chinese products exported to
EU markets is high relative to other developing economies, even at low unit cost.
The study challenged the assumption that low-cost products from China are of low quality and suggested that the quality of Chinese products is similar to that of the most technologically advanced competitors and economies.
The study also indicated that Chinese products were an anomaly in the relationship between price and quality; while products from most countries became relatively expensive as the quality increased, Chinese products remained affordable despite the upgrading quality.
According to a
Pew Research Center
The Pew Research Center (also simply known as Pew) is a nonpartisan American think tank based in Washington, D.C. It provides information on social issues, public opinion, and demographic trends shaping the United States and the world. It ...
survey of 12 countries in November 2023, the quality of Chinese technology products is seen as generally well-made, but worse than American products. Respondents from few countries, such as
Israel
Israel, officially the State of Israel, is a country in West Asia. It Borders of Israel, shares borders with Lebanon to the north, Syria to the north-east, Jordan to the east, Egypt to the south-west, and the Mediterranean Sea to the west. Isr ...
and
India
India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...
, held particular negative views toward Chinese products.
See also
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Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act
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China Blue
''China Blue'' is a 2005 documentary film directed by Micha Peled. It follows the life of Jasmine Li, a seventeen-year-old worker from Sichuan, in a Chinese jeans factory, ''Lifeng Clothes Factory'' (丽锋服饰制衣有限公司) in Shaxi, ...
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100% Cinta Indonesia
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Made in Taiwan
References
{{Authority control
China
China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. With population of China, a population exceeding 1.4 billion, it is the list of countries by population (United Nations), second-most populous country after ...
Economy of China
China
China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. With population of China, a population exceeding 1.4 billion, it is the list of countries by population (United Nations), second-most populous country after ...
Manufacturing in China