China’s Largest Companies, Factories and Plants

China’s industry is a true phenomenon in global trade. It is a massive and complex ecosystem that includes literally millions of businesses — from huge corporations to small family-owned enterprises. Let’s take a closer look at the biggest players — the largest companies, factories, and manufacturing plants in China.

China’s Industry Leaders

In the modern world, the boundaries between factories, plants, and companies are becoming blurred. However, knowing the biggest players helps you understand the direction your business can take.

Chinese Manufacturing Plants

Traditionally, plants are industrial facilities focused on heavy industries, raw material processing (like oil or timber), or assembling products from key components:

• Foxconn Technology Group manufactures electronics for Microsoft, Apple, Dell, and other major brands. Many of its facilities are located in Shenzhen.
• SAIC Motor — one of China’s largest car manufacturers, operating both domestically and in partnership with General Motors and Volkswagen.
• Sinopec — a state-owned oil refining and chemical processing plant.
• The largest plant in China is BYD’s electric car factory, also called a super factory. Its area covers 130 km² — even larger than Tesla’s Gigafactory in Nevada, USA. The site includes recreation zones and dormitories and is designed to function as a self-sustaining ecosystem.

China’s Largest Corporations

Corporations are trade or tech giants that own enterprises, factories, and plants. You’ll likely recognize several of China’s biggest corporations:

• Alibaba Group, which owns Taobao, 1688, Aliexpress, Alibaba.com, and several other web portals and services. While its main focus is e-commerce, it also develops cloud computing and artificial intelligence.
• Tencent Holdings, a tech conglomerate heavily invested in the gaming industry (Fortnite, Roblox, League of Legends). It also owns WeChat and stakes in Snapchat, Discord, and Reddit.
• Huawei Technologies, a global leader in telecommunications equipment, smartphones, and networking solutions.
• Xiaomi Corporation, one of the world’s leading electronics manufacturers producing smartphones, appliances, and smart devices.

Among these, Tencent Holdings holds the highest market capitalization (around $740 billion), constantly competing with Alibaba Group. Overall, China’s corporate capital rankings are led by banks and investment funds.

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Chinese Enterprises

Here are some well-known Chinese manufacturing enterprises by industry:

• Haier Group, which produces household appliances — from refrigerators to air conditioners. It owns brands like Candy and GE Appliances and has several subsidiaries worth tens of billions of dollars.
• Midea Group, another appliance giant, introduces innovations and manufactures OEM products for both local and global brands. Estimated value — around $78 billion. Its headquarters are in Foshan, where DiFFreight provides warehousing services in China.
• Geely Holding Group, an automotive holding company valued at about $23–25 billion, owning Geely, Volvo, Lotus, and Polestar brands.

Many enterprises don’t disclose their financials, so figures are approximate.

Chinese Factories

Factories generally refer to light industry production facilities. In China, the concept of a “production cluster” is common — a group of factories that produce components, process materials, and assemble final goods within the same region or city.

This approach boosts profits, reduces production time, simplifies logistics, and stimulates the industrial ecosystem:

• Foshan — one of the world’s largest furniture manufacturing hubs.
• Guangdong — specializes in silicone and plastic goods, including toys and electronics.
• Shenzhen — electronics, gadgets, components, and LED production.
• Guangzhou and Zhejiang — textiles and clothing, including accessories and footwear, supplying global marketplaces and retailers.
  

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The City of Guangdong, China

How Industry Affects the Country’s Economy

In short — positively. In recent years, China’s policy has shifted from being the “world’s factory” to becoming a “center of innovation and technology.” While consumer goods exports still meet global demand, the country is heavily investing in IT, high-tech industries, and complex machinery.

It is expected that the share of “mass-market goods” will soon decrease, allowing China to become an even more influential player in global trade. The country also faces challenges that slow down economic growth — the real estate crisis, trade wars, and weak domestic consumption.

Get a Consultation for Cooperation with China

Importing from China is a profitable strategy for Ukrainian businesses that boosts income and leads to steady profit growth. However, entrepreneurs often face multiple challenges — and DiFFreight can solve them. Here’s how we help you cooperate with China:

• sourcing products from China based on your request;
• inspection and warehouse storage;
• sea and air freight from China to Ukraine;
• customs clearance;
• door-to-door delivery.

We make international logistics simple, saving entrepreneurs’ time and resources. Book a consultation today and be the first to get the details!