Chinese investment in ASEAN expands to benefit both sides

陈小将

A worker assembles Oppo smartphones at the company's factory in Banten province, Indonesia, on Nov 19. MUHAMMAD FADLI/BLOOMBERG

Five years after Chinese smartphone maker Oppo debuted in its home market, the company ventured overseas in 2009 and introduced its products to Thailand.

Oppo hasn't looked back since. Not only did it capture a large market share in Thailand, it also succeeded in branching out across Southeast Asia, with showrooms all over the region and a factory in Indonesia.

In 2024, Oppo overtook South Korea's Samsung to become the top smartphone brand in Southeast Asia with an 18 percent market share, or 16.9 million shipments, according to a report by global technology analyst Canalys, which attributed Oppo's success to its product calibration and high-end investment.

Shi Shuai, chief executive officer of Oppo Asia-Pacific, said the company has been working to promote local authorization, cultivate local talent, and integrate into local cultures. He cited Oppo's factory in the city of Tangerang, west of the Indonesian capital Jakarta — the company's first manufacturing plant outside China — as an example, with the factory creating job opportunities for Indonesians, and contributing to long-term economic development.