Southeast Asia remains a high-priority growth market. Despite tariff pressures and geopolitical uncertainty, the region grew approximately 4.5% in 2025. For Chinese enterprises, 2026 is the year to shift from rapid expansion to deeper, more deliberate market cultivation.

What’s Inside

Part 1: Manufacturing Relocation

The “China+1” strategy has evolved from a tariff workaround into a long-term supply chain play. Companies like Haier, CATL, and WuXi Biologics are building full manufacturing ecosystems in Southeast Asia. They are not just relocating capacity, but exporting their brands, smart manufacturing systems, and management standards. Getting compliance right from day one is now non-negotiable.

Part 2: Industrial Products & Solutions Export

Chinese industrial players are shifting from equipment export to full-solution delivery, such as bundling financing, maintenance, and technical training. With Southeast Asia’s infrastructure boom and energy transition well underway, Chinese capital goods exports to ASEAN grew by double digits in 2025. Those who can localise the “China model” at a high level are pulling ahead.

Part 3: Brands & E-commerce Expansion

Competing on price alone is over. Video commerce now accounts for ~25% of Southeast Asia’s e-commerce GMV, with TikTok Shop live-streaming growing over 100% in 2025. Brands like Pop Mart and Jisulife are proving that deeply localised content, rooted in local culture and context, is the real competitive moat.

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Want the complete picture? This article is a snapshot. The full report goes deeper into talent trends, hiring challenges and case studies.

Work with a recruiter

Building the right team for Southeast Asia comes with its own set of challenges. A limited pool of candidates who understand both Chinese business culture and local markets, intense competition for bilingual talent, and the complexity of navigating hiring regulations across multiple countries. Partnering with a recruiter can alleviate these burdens, allowing your organisation to stay focused on execution and growth.

Recruiters bring deep expertise in navigating the regional labour market, candidate screening, and cross-border employment considerations. They also have access to extensive networks of high-quality talent — including passive candidates who are often the strongest performers in the market, and who would never surface through a job posting alone.

Collaborate with our team at HRnetOne Singapore to streamline your hiring process and secure the right leaders for your Southeast Asia journey.