Shanzhai special: From 'Made-in-China' to 'Designed-in-China'

Shanzhai special: From 'Made-in-China' to 'Designed-in-China'

Shanzhai special: From 'Made-in-China' to 'Designed-in-China'

Shanzhai special: From 'Made-in-China' to 'Designed-in-China'
 
Innovation Transformation
 
While foreign companies and even governments complain of intellectual property rights infringement, many Chinese consumers point out the originals are overpriced, and they cannot afford them.

As such, there is a sentiment that these "pirate" manufacturers are on the side of justice, providing goods the poor and the disenfranchised would otherwise not be able to own. more

Building the new from the old

Wang, 27, the CEO and founder of MakeBlock, is an example of new Chinese entrepreneurs - young people looking at old concepts and developing their own answers. Wang and his ilk are stepping away from the tradition of shanzhai, or counterfeited goods, when it comes to making products. more

Competition drives create-or-die existence

Vicious competition has continued reinventing the shanzhai, or "mountain fortress" - a term that once meant counterfeit but now refers to micro-innovation - market and its cultural consequences. This competition means shanzhai producers must get creative, rather than copy, to survive. more

Shanzhai special: From 'Made-in-China' to 'Designed-in-China'

Shanzhai special: From 'Made-in-China' to 'Designed-in-China'