China business trends shift toward local platforms and cross-industry partnerships

Business trends in China are shifting toward specialized digital platforms and cross-industry collaborations to combat slowing growth within individual market categories.

For B2B companies seeking leads in China, traditional platforms like LinkedIn are less effective due to access restrictions and low local engagement. Instead, professionals utilize Maimai for networking, Baidu for brand verification, and WeChat for closing deals. Trade shows, such as the Canton Fair, and verified profiles on Alibaba.com remain critical for establishing credibility and reaching procurement managers.

In the consumer sector, brands are increasingly adopting 'cross-industry cooperation' to pool audiences and reduce advertising costs. This trend involves unrelated sectors pairing up to reach new demographics, exemplified by collaborations such as the mascot-led campaign between Duolingo and Luckin Coffee.