More foreigners are choosing authentic Chinese brands over imitations as the former gain popularity in the market for their affordable prices and good quality, according to a Global Times report.
This can also be traced to the Chinese government's intensified efforts to promote genuine locally made items and crack down on counterfeits.
William Frisby, a 39-year-old Briton who has been living in Beijing for eight years now, said that many expats purchase imitations because of very low prices. He shared that he buys counterfeit clothing though he knows it will not last long because he can get them for less than half of the authentic item's original price.
For example, if he wants a sports shirt for the gym, he buys a fake Adidas or Nike from Silk Street market at between 50 yuan ($7.5) and 100 yuan. The original would cost him anywhere between 400 and 700 yuan, the report said.
Frisby also shared that when "you go looking in the markets at the weekend, everyone wants to find a bargain; it's just too big a temptation to resist." He added that the high quality of some counterfeits also lure people like him to grab the items.
"You can tell the quality, and the shop does not allow bargaining--the price is the price. I would never spend $500 on a bag, but I would spend $150 on a top-quality leather fake, which is as good as the real one," he said.
Nonetheless, the tables have been gradually turning as Chinese brands gain more footing among the market of expats.
A 47-year-old American whose real identity was asked not to be named shared that many of his friends who have been in the country for a while "do not buy counterfeits anymore as they cannot hold long."
"I think it is more popular with newcomers or tourists wanting to go home with something to impress," he added.
Additionally, Frisby cited the significant help of e-commerce platforms in promoting affordable, authentic local goods.
"Now through Taobao [a popular online shopping platform in China], you have immediate access to quality Chinese brands such as Xiaomi, which, again, are half the price of American and Japanese brands and nearly as good as them. Also, I know when I buy the real item I am protected if it breaks," the expat noted.
According to the Global Times article, the top original Chinese brands among foreigners include Xiaomi, Huawei, Lenovo, OPPO, BYD, Beiqi Foton, Li-Ning, Anta, Camel, Feiyue, Qingqi, Haier and Midea.