On October 17, Yenching Academy invited international marketing professionals from several Chinese enterprises to a roundtable discussion themed “Global China: Careers in China’s International Expansion”, followed by a campus recruitment fair joined by around 20 enterprises. Co-sponsored by the YCA Student Affairs Office, the YCA Branch of the Communist Youth League, and the YCA Graduate Student Union, the career development events aimed to help our Scholars navigate the job market and strengthen ties between Yenching Academy and recruiters.
Before the roundtable discussion, Fan Shiming, Associate Dean of Yenching Academy delivered a welcome speech. He provided an overview of the Academy’s development and elaborated on its mission to foster international talents through the cross-cultural, interdisciplinary program that integrates both Chinese and global perspectives. Huang Xuesong, Deputy Head of Student Affairs then introduced the participating enterprises and the event schedule. She also mapped out YCA graduates’ employment outcomes and career development, showcasing YCA Scholars’ comprehensive competence and employability.
Global China Roundtable Discussion: China’s International Expansion
The roundtable discussion was held at B101, of the Second Gymnasium and hosted by Elliott Bize, a Scholar from the 2025 Cohort from France. The speakers included Professor Deng Ziliang from the National School of Development, Peking University, Daisy Cong, International Marketing Director at Shokz, Jason Zhang, GTM Director for Smart Small Appliances & Development Department for AIoT, Xiaomi Corporation, and Leo Mengran Li, YCA Cohort 2017 alumnus and Global Business Development Director, Novlead Biotech. During the roundtable, the speakers engaged in a thought-provoking dialogue on industry insights, growth strategy, and the opportunities and challenges of Chinese enterprises’ international expansion. The dialogue provided a clear overview of Chinese enterprises’ international expansion routes in R&D strategy, localisation strategy, ESG challenges, and talent philosophy.
Prof Deng Ziliang provided a macroeconomic analysis of new trends in China’s international expansion. He observed that the focus of Chinese overseas investment has shifted from being export-oriented to securing supply chain resilience. It has been a key strategy for setting up factories in regional hubs, such as Hungary, Thailand, and Mexico, to operate closer to target markets. Prof Deng also emphasised the importance of timing and market locations. By taking HUAWEI and other companies as an example, he stressed the strategic significance of localising R&D innovation to better serve target markets. In addition, geopolitical consideration, tariffs, labour market and robust diplomatic relations are taking on more weights in a company’s location selecting. The professor highlighted the importance of cultivating cross-cultural talents to navigate the increasingly complex global landscapes.
Daisy Cong introduced how Shokz has cultivated global trust in a Chinese brand through long-term strategies. She emphasised that innovation and sustainable development require patience and persistence, as there are no shortcuts. Shokz’s marketing strategy of “online launch followed by offline expansion” has proven a success. Through its cooperation with world-class athletes, the brand has translated its credibility within professional sports into a broader customer base. Daisy Cong described Shokz’s slogan “Be open” as a defining feature of the approach in addressing challenges on the global market and driving brand growth.
Jason Zhang reflected on Xiaomi’s R&D-driven development path and the brand’s success in shifting from a “Made in China” into a “Smart Made in China”. While rooting its global brand image in a consistent brand philosophy, Xiaomi has continually adapted itself to customer preferences in different markets. It adopts a localisation strategy for integrating e-commerce platforms with physical stores. Zhang highlighted that Xiaomi’s talent philosophy focuses on responsibility, learning agility, passion for technology and teamwork. Xiaomi creates specialised internship and onboarding projects, targeting high-achieving talents worldwide.
Leo Mengran Li dived into the globalisation pathway for a biotech company. He observed that “products are the ultimate key”, regardless of innovation paradigms across different industrial sectors. Li argued that Chinese enterprises’ globalisation typically is realised in two steps: first translating innovation into a competitive edge, before empowering sustained R&D capacity through China’s comprehensive supply chain. A Chinese healthcare company that seeks international expansion must overcome international regulatory challenges. By drawing on his team’s engagement in obtaining CE marking, Li noted that “translation” is the cornerstone of product quality, that is, accurately translating the clinical demands into product design. To counter the stereotypes of Chinese products as “non-compliant”, Novlead Biotech works closely with world-class distributors and local investors translating trust earned from independent third parties into a broader international presence. Li added that his years at Yenching Academy have facilitated his career development.
Campus Recruitment Fair: Navigating the Global Job Market
Following the roundtable discussion, our Scholars engaged with recruitment representatives across multiple industries. The participating companies included the APCO Beijing Office, Concordia AI, BITMAIN Technologies Holding Company, Gaotu Techedu Inc., Hanshow Technology, Inspur, Meituan, Mixue Bingcheng Co., Ltd., Novlead Biotech, Princeton University Press, Shokz, Venture Education, Xiaomi Corporation, New Development Bank, Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, and British Chamber of Commerce in China.
Representatives from the participating companies addressed Scholars’ questions on industry trends, career prospects, and role requirements, and provided substantive advice on job hunting. The recruitment fair served as an informative platform for both our Scholars and participating companies.
