Amid observations by geopolitical experts that China and Russia are closer than ever in the aftermath of the West's collective front against Moscow, a new report has said that Chinese brands are flooding Russia.
The Chinese 'takeover' happened after hundreds of global brands left Russia in protest against Moscow's military operation in Ukraine that started a year ago. The Russian search for alternatives opened up the vistas for Chinese products ranging from smartphones to cars.
Smartphones, Automobiles
Chinese brands like smartphone giant Xiaomi and automaker Geely had bumper sales in recent months, spurred by rising Russian demand. According to a Counterpoint Research, the gain of Chinese brands has meant losses for brands like Apple, whose iPhones were hugely popular in Russia.
Chinese handset manufacturers now account for 95 percent of the market share, the data showed. A year ago, their share had stood at a lowly 40 percent. At the same time, Samsung and Apple saw their combined market share drop from 53 percent a year ago to a mere 3 percent.
Another sector that displays a distinct Chinese slant is automobiles. The sales of Chinese carmakers like Chery and Great Wall rose so much that they are now in the top 10 passenger vehicle brands in Russia. In the process, German giants like BMW and Mercedes have disappeared from that list. Chinese car sales in Russia rose 7 percent in 2022 to 121,800 vehicles, though the overall sales crashed, according to Autostat.
China's Role in War?
There is increasing speculation that China will start supplying lethal weapons to Russia. Though China has ruled out offering major military equipment to Russia, the two superpowers are closer now than ever before. The potential of a broader conflict involving China is something that right-thinking people anywhere in the world would not want to have.
