Chinese manufacturing industry continues to develop steadily and its pace of going overseas is accelerating

Recently, Career International, Tsinghua University Global Industry Research Institute, PayInOne and other institutions jointly released the "2025 China Manufacturing Overseas Talent White Paper" (hereinafter referred to as the "White Paper"). The "White Paper" focuses on the four pillar industries of machinery and equipment, electronics and electrical, automobiles, and new energy. Through surveys and in-depth desk research of many well-known companies, it analyzes the talent demand characteristics and management challenges of today's overseas manufacturing, and provides enterprises with a path to break through and strategic guidance.

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The "White Paper" shows that Chinese overseas manufacturing is showing a vigorous development trend at multiple levels and fields. High value-added and high-tech manufacturing sub-sectors are becoming the core force of the globalization of manufacturing enterprises. In the machinery and equipment industry, Chinese companies have changed from a passive overseas model that relies on infrastructure projects to an active model of actively looking for market gaps around the world; the electronics and electrical industry, especially the consumer electronics field, has gained a firm foothold in emerging markets such as Latin America, Africa, and Eastern Europe through high cost-effectiveness and product innovation advantages; the new energy vehicle industry has emerged in the global market with its technology and cost advantages.

As the pace of enterprises going overseas accelerates, the demand for talents to support business expansion has also shown new characteristics. The White Paper points out that there are significant regional differences in the distribution of overseas talents in Chinese manufacturing industry. Southeast Asia has the highest proportion of overseas employees due to the concentration of labor-intensive industries, while Europe has become the first choice for overseas companies to enter the high-end market due to its leading technology and mature market. In addition, the changes in the stage of enterprises going overseas have also brought about changes in the demand for positions, from traditional sales and functional positions to key areas such as production operations and technology research and development.

In order to consolidate their position in the global market and continue to expand, companies must adopt a series of refined strategies to effectively respond to the complex challenges in overseas talent management. The White Paper proposes four winning strategies: precise positioning, flexible adjustment, cultural integration and technological empowerment. Companies need to recognize their own development stage and accurately match the talent needs of the target market, while deeply understanding and accepting the cultural customs and working methods of different regions to enhance global synergy. In addition, companies need to make good use of digital technology and build an intelligent human resources management system to improve efficiency and optimize talent allocation.

It is worth noting that Chinese manufacturing industry has also made remarkable achievements in the domestic market. In 2024, the overall scale of my country's manufacturing industry will remain the world's first for 15 consecutive years, and the added value of industrial enterprises above designated size will increase by 5.8% year-on-year. The supporting role of manufacturing industry for industrial production is constantly increasing, and it also plays an important role in the stable operation of the economy. With the in-depth implementation of the "Made in China 2025" strategy, Chinese manufacturing industry is accelerating its progress towards high-end, intelligent and green directions.

Looking to the future, Chinese manufacturing industry will continue to maintain a steady development trend, not only consolidating its leading position in the domestic market, but also playing a more important role in the global market. With the continuous advancement of technological innovation and the continuous optimization of talent strategies, Chinese manufacturing industry will have a broader path to go overseas, injecting new vitality into global economic development.