From toys to milk tea, Chinese brands widen market share in Malaysia

KUALA LUMPUR - Chinese brands continue to widen their share of the consumer market in Malaysia, with strong and growing demand for a range of products from milk tea to designer toys.

Just a brief walk around the capital Kuala Lumpur, one can easily spot outlets of China's beverage giant Mixue, milk tea chain CHAGEE, and Luckin Coffee -- a leading Chinese coffee brand.

Cherishing food and beverages, Malaysians have flocked to these chains and flooded local social media channels with glowing reviews. Meanwhile, other items, such as Pop Mart -- a popular Chinese toy company known for its blind box collectibles, particularly the Labubu character -- are also rapidly gaining ground.

Besides the ubiquitous presence of Chinese-developed smartphones and other consumer electronics, these collectibles have become a global sensation, highlighting the strong competitiveness of Chinese-developed intellectual property (IP) in the open market, while also showcasing culture and creativity.