从代工到国际品牌

"Made in China" is a label you see everywhere in the world. Currently, 80 percent of air-conditioners, 70 percent of cellphones and 60 percent of shoes are "made in China". And the situation is similar in the US.

 Televisions, shoes, Christmas lights and toys... Of 39 household items, 25 are from China. That's what an experienced journalist in the US found at her home on Christmas.

So, she decided to go a whole year without buying any Chinese products...

What happened to her? Well, a pair of shoes cost her six times the price, while she rushed to six different stores just to find a set of birthday candles.

Eight years on, and "Made in China" is no longer limited to daily products, but some high-end mechanical and electrical ones as well.

And it's a trend which is gaining traction...

Among all the products the US imported from China in 2014, mechanical and electrical equipment accounted for nearly half them...

And for traditional exports -- such as shoes, bags and toys? -- well these still have a strong grip on the market share in the US.

But it's not only about market share. For many Chinese companies, they are turning from unknown manufacturers into international brands.

Although China is still calling itself a "big but not a strong manufacturing country", it's already on the way to upgrading in this sector.