Question

In the past, Chinese buyers liked foreign brands better, thinking that products made by American or European companies are of higher quality than Chinese ones. But now that’s no longer the case.

“Chinese people born before 1985 generally think that foreign brands are better than Chinese ones, billionaire William Li told Business Insider during a recent interview on CCTV 9. But for those who were born after 1985, it is a different picture.

“When I first went to the United Kingdom in 1997, I thought that the difference between China and Europe was quite big, Li said. “But for those born in the 1990s, when they visit Europe or the US, they do not think there is a big difference.”

The change in thinking among Chinese buyers is showing up in many markets in China where western companies controlled before. A study by Credit Suisse which came out in March found that more and more young Chinese buyers are showing a home brand bias.

More than 90% of young Chinese buyers would prefer to buy home brands, according to the study. At the same time, home companies producing food, drinks, or personal care products raised their share(份額) of the market by 33% over the last ten years to nearly 70%.

“Chinese buyers, especially the younger ones, don’t just believe that foreign brands are better. Right now, Chinese buyers think China is good and ‘Made in China’ is not bad at all, Charlie Chen, head of China buyer research at Credit Suisse, told South China Morning Post in March.

The Chinese smartphone market is controlled by home companies Huawei, Oppo, Vivo, and Xiaomi. Apple is the only foreign brand in the top five, but it has lost large ground to the home brands in recent years. Its market share is believed to go down to 37% from a 2015 high of 54%.

1.Which of the following is true according to the text?

A. More and more foreigners go to buy Chinese products.

B. Older Chinese people don’t like foreign products any more.

C. More and more Chinese buyers prefer Chinese products.

D. Huawei is the top one in the smartphone market.

2.Which fact best explains home brand bias?

A. Apple had a market share of 54% in 2015.

B. More than 90% of young Chinese buyers prefer home brands.

C. Chinese people born before 1985 think that Chinese brands aren’t as good as foreign ones.

D. American or European brands are of higher quality

3.Who did most of the research for this report?

A. Credit Suisse.

B. CCTV 9.

C. South China Morning Post.

D. Billionaire William Li

4.What’s the best title for this passage?

A. Chinese products get more popular at home.

B. Young Chinese are crazy for foreign brands.

C. ‘Made in China’ is welcomed all over the world.

D. The Chinese smartphone market is controlled by home companies

Answer 1