Confucius, the great ancient Chinese thinker, once said we should have a good reputation before doing anything. This moral aphorism has gained popularity within Chinese business circles which have become more conscious of brand names.
A pair of sportshoes costs five dollars after the production process in eastern China. However, the price rises to 150 dollars when a foreign label is stuck to it.
Chinese products have difficulty in creating their own well-known brands, which has caused concern in some government departments and enterprises.
The Chinese Brands Promotion Committee, organized by the State Bureau of Quality and Technological Supervision, aims to cultivate and protect nationally famous enterprises and products through a series of evaluations.
There are plenty of Chinese commodities in the market, of which few are famous brands. As China develops its domestic economy rapidly in the world, the demand for the brands will rise.
Experts appeal for "made in China" to be a symbol of excellent quality instead of merely cheap and intensive labor products.
Entrepreneurs have reached an agreement that the fierce competition depends on the quality of products. Chinese enterprises should increase the quality of the exportation and guarantee the brands "made in China".
"The brands strategy has encouraged the companies to improve management levels and ensure quality of the goods," said Wang Qinping, vice director of the State Bureau of Quality and Technological Supervision.
The ultimate goal of the strategy is to form a bunch of influential and competitive Chinese brands and optimize social resources.
Latest statistics indicate that China has carried out a quality evaluation job in the last five years. Up to now, some 6,000 brands have been recognized as provincial famous brands.
The Haier Group, with advertisements claiming to be "higher", has drawn global attention. Orders for Haier electric appliances have come from all over the world.
Experts said that Haier is no longer a simple label, its service and management will lead the modern Chinese economy to create more well-known brands besides Tsingtao beer and Xuanwei ham.
The Brands Promotion Committee will further support the domestic brands development, and encourage the research of hi-tech products to adapt to globalization, Wang said.
Implementing brand strategy also boosts the local economy. The sales volume and profit stimulate the growth of local revenue.
The more famous a company brand is, the more the enterprise will expect to gain benefits from it and the more energetic the enterprise will become.
(People's Daily 03/27/2001)
