With the traditional Spring Festival holiday just around the corner, commercial districts across China are upgrading comprehensive shopping malls and innovating models of marketing to attract consumers.
As the New Year began on Wednesday, a groundbreaking commercial complex opened in the small town of Xingjie, southwest China's Yunnan Province.
This is the first comprehensive shopping center ever built in a rural township in the province, covering over 30,000 square meters.
The center features a shopping mall, specialty streets, and a farmers' market, offering buyers a convenient "one-stop shopping" experience and injecting new life into the local community.
"This has brought a lot of convenience and efficiency to our lives, and there are so many more shopping options now," said Wu Yutian, a local resident.
While new commercial hubs in rural areas are going all out to boost sales, cities are also seeing transformations in their retail landscapes.
In Wuhan, central China's Hubei Province, the historic People's Paradise has undergone a modern renovation.
With a 14-meter-high transparent wall, 24 rotating screens, and concert-level lighting and sound systems, the nearly 1,000-square-meter atrium creates a festive atmosphere for the New Year.
"I was completely amazed when I walked in. It doesn't feel like a shopping mall at all -- it has a mix of classical charm and modern technology," said Ma, a local resident.
People's Paradise, a 100-year-old landmark in Wuhan, has been revitalized with restored towers, light shows, and a newly added cultural theater, transforming the historical site into a popular social media hotspot for visitors. The digital upgrades also provide social spaces for shoppers.
"These elements are stylish and modern. We believe they will be well-received by the market. They enrich our new consumption scenarios and align with current consumer trends," said Tian Jin, general manager of Wuhan Cultural Tourism Group's Urban Landscape Company.
Many brands are choosing to open their flagship stores in key commercial districts to maximize visibility. For instance, at the Chunxi Road Business Area in Chengdu City of southwest China's Sichuan Province, a new commercial complex has been developed by local companies, featuring over 200 trendy online brands and collaborations with top-tier domestic toy and plush brands, establishing a new type of fashion retail space.
In Ningbo City of east China's Zhejiang Province, a newly opened shopping center has created an urban cultural space filled with art. Visitors can explore various artistic installations, and the center has attracted 23 flagship stores, with more than 60 percent of them being first-time entries for the Zhejiang market.
In Shanghai, several shopping malls have made "debut" their key selling points. A mall in Jing'an District has introduced the global debut of a French artist's exhibition, alongside several brands making their first appearance in either Shanghai or China. This includes five national first stores and 20 Shanghai first stores, offering shoppers a truly exclusive experience.
Across China, these dynamic new commercial spaces are not only meeting the evolving demands of consumers but are also playing a pivotal role in driving the country's economic growth.
New commercial hubs spark consumption growth across China
A 25 percent import tariff on all foreign-built vehicles entering the United States has raised serious concerns for manufacturers in South Africa.
Automotive giants like Mercedes and BMW have long used South Africa as a base for global exports -- but those plans may be shifting into reverse gear after the U.S. announced the punitive measures.
"If you take, for example, BMW, 97 percent of the X3 that we are producing in Rosslyn is exported out of the country. We only sell 3 percent in South Africa, and there's a huge number of those vehicles that also go into the U.S. So there are companies in South Africa that are purely here not because they are selling vehicles in South Africa; they are here to produce vehicles for the global market, and it's important for them to remain globally competitive," said Mike Mabasa, CEO of the National Association of Automobile Manufacturers of South Africa.
U.S. automaker Ford, which has deep roots in South Africa, is also in the crosshairs.
The company recently invested over 300 million U.S. dollars to upgrade its Silverton plant in Pretoria, South Africa, for the production of the world's only plug-in hybrid Ranger, which has just entered production but could face delays or restrictions.
"If an American citizen wants to buy specifically a Ford Ranger that is a plug-in hybrid, they can only place an order in South Africa, nowhere else in the world. So, that means, obviously, the capacity of Ford to be able to produce those vehicles in big volumes is going to be constrained, because Americans are going be looking at another Ford that is produced in another country, or even in the United States," said Mabasa.
South Africa has long enjoyed duty-free automotive exports to the U.S. under the African Growth and Opportunity Act, but that relationship now hangs in the balance.
A sharp shift in U.S. foreign policy threatens to derail an industry that employs thousands and contributes around 5 percent to the country's economy.
"We produce less than 1 percent of global automotive vehicles, so to say. So, in reality, the impact on us is likely to be more disproportionate than those of our peers that produce at the same level. And the risk is actually created -- a concentration risk -- in countries that have greater capacity and are building more; in those countries will be able to absorb some of this," said Parks Tau, South Africa's minister of trade and industry.
Amid growing concerns about overreliance on the U.S. market, Amith Singh, national manager for manufacturing at Nedbank Commercial Bank, emphasized the importance of tapping into regional trade opportunities.
"I think we need to make better use of some of our local agreements, our African continental agreements. How do we leverage that? How do we partner with the government and private sector to start benefiting the countries and the economies aside from the United States? So, those could be the catalyst to drive our localization projects; it could be what we need to drive the African economy as opposed to being completely reliant on the States (United States)," he said.
South Africa is for now standing firm in its decision not to retaliate against steep U.S. import tariffs, set to take effect in just a few days.
Officials in Pretoria acknowledge the challenges posed by the current U.S. administration but are pursuing a diplomatic approach in hopes of maintaining stable relations and preserving the African Growth and Opportunity Act.
US tariffs rock South Africa’s auto industry
