“Made in China” Doesn’t Mean What It Used To

 

I remember the first time I held a “Made in China” gadget in the early 2000s. It felt flimsy. Like it might fall apart before the warranty even expired—if it had a warranty at all. Back then, Chinese tech was the butt of jokes. Knock-offs. Copycats. Cheap, not clever.

But here’s the uncomfortable truth: that’s no longer the world we live in.

In 2025, “Made in China” might just be running your EV, flying your drone, or powering the AI that wrote the app you're using.

The Copycat Era Is Over

There was a time when Western tech giants accused China of stealing ideas. And often, that was true. Huawei allegedly copied Cisco. Xiaomi looked like an Apple mimic. Even TikTok’s rise was brushed off as lucky timing, not real innovation.

But here’s what people forget: America and Europe had their own copycat phase too.

Japan reverse-engineered Western cameras and cars in the ’50s. The U.S. borrowed freely from British computing and German rocketry. Innovation has never been pure—it’s always been messy, borrowed, adapted, improved.

Now, China has entered the “improve” phase.

• DJI owns nearly 70% of the global drone market. No Western company even comes close.

• BYD and CATL are setting battery standards, not just following them.

• Huawei’s 5G tech is banned in the West—not because it’s bad, but because it’s too good for comfort.

So… Is Chinese Tech Inferior?

Let’s be honest: Not all Chinese tech is groundbreaking. You’ll still find plenty of low-cost, low-quality gadgets on AliExpress. But that’s not the full picture.

Here’s where it gets tricky:

• Price vs. Power: Chinese tech often beats Western products on price without falling far behind on quality. That’s devastating for European and American firms.

• Scale vs. Precision: Western companies tend to focus on niche innovation—think Apple’s titanium iPhones or NVIDIA’s AI chips. China plays the scale game—mass-producing tech that reaches billions.

• Control vs. Chaos: In the West, open platforms spark creativity. In China, state-backed infrastructure accelerates coordination. It’s not better or worse. Just… different.

What If the Future Isn't Western?

We assume that the next big thing will come from Silicon Valley or a sleek Berlin startup. But what if it comes from Shenzhen? Or Hangzhou? What if the future isn’t just made in China—but imagined there?

This isn’t about who’s winning. It’s about who we’re willing to take seriously.

Because tech isn’t just hardware. It’s identity. And the West is learning, slowly and awkwardly, that being first doesn’t mean you’ll stay first.

Maybe it's time to retire the word “inferior.” Not for politeness—but for precision.