A view of Lujiazui, Shanghai Photo: VCG

Multiple foreign consumer brands have announced their fourth-quarter 2025 earnings in the Chinese mainland market, with some reporting notable revenue growth over the period. A Chinese expert said on Sunday that the sound performance of those foreign brands underscores the stability and potential of the ultra-large Chinese market despite rising global uncertainties, while projecting that more foreign investment into China is expected amid the country's favorable policies.

The proportion of Estée Lauder's revenue from the Chinese mainland increased to 22 percent of the group's total during the fourth quarter of 2025, up from 15 percent during the third quarter. L'Oréal reported a strong start in the Chinese mainland in 2026, while Procter & Gamble said that the company's revenue in the greater China area grew quarter-on-quarter for multiple consecutive quarters, according to a note by Huatai Securities Research Institute.

Meanwhile, German sports brand Adidas said that its sales in greater China increased 13 percent year-on-year on a currency-neutral basis in 2025.

"When the global economy is significantly affected by growing uncertainties, these foreign brands have seen stable growth in the Chinese market, indicating that the advantages of the Chinese market are more pronounced," Bian Yongzu, executive deputy editor-in-chief of Modernization of Management magazine, told the Global Times on Sunday.

With China's supportive policies for attracting foreign investment, along with advantages such as its complete industrial chain and technological innovation, large multinational corporations are expected to place greater emphasis on investing in the Chinese market, with continuous inflows of foreign direct investment (FDI) to be expected, said Bian.

Casting a vote of confidence in China, some foreign enterprises are expanding their business in the market. For instance, DBS China recently completed its first transition finance transaction, extending a 1.77 billion yuan ($258 million) long-term factoring facility to CES International Financial Leasing Co, a subsidiary of China Eastern Airlines Holding Co, to support the aviation sector's low-carbon transition, according to the bank's official WeChat account.

Meanwhile, Standard Chartered Bank (China) announced on Thursday that it will provide custody services for the Guotai Haitong Hong Kong Stock Advantage Selection Equity Initiative Securities Investment Fund, which is issued by Shanghai Guotai Haitong Securities Asset Management Co.

"The 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30) emphasizes continuously promoting the growth of Chinese residents' income. The enormous development potential of China's wealth management market brings broad development opportunities for foreign financial institutions like Standard Chartered," Lu Jing, president and vice chairman of the Standard Chartered Bank (China), was quoted as saying in a press release sent to the Global Times.

"In the future, we will also, with the strategic positioning of a 'super connector', deepen our presence in China's wealth management market, support the high-level opening-up of China's capital market, and help domestic investors better conduct global asset allocation," Lu said.

China's Government Work Report released during the just concluded two sessions stated that "we should continue to pursue mutually beneficial cooperation, steadily expand opening-up at the institutional level, and promote broader international economic flows, so as to advance reform and development through opening-up."

According to this year's Government Work Report, China targets economic growth of 4.5 percent to 5 percent in 2026 and will strive to perform better in practice.

"The underlying foundations for China's long-term growth remain robust," John Quelch, executive vice chancellor and distinguished professor of social science at Duke Kunshan University, told the Global Times in a recent interview, highlighting China's advantage in its large-scale domestic market.

The country's middle-income population is often estimated at about 400 million people, creating one of the world's largest consumer markets. As incomes rise and services expand, domestic consumption is likely to play an increasingly important role in sustaining growth, Quelch noted.

In addition, "for multinational companies, China is no longer just a large market; it is increasingly a source of innovation and a critical arena for sharpening global competitiveness. Engaging with the 'China Speed' and its dynamic ecosystem is an opportunity for multinationals to turn a challenge into a strategic advantage," Denis Depoux, global managing director of global strategy consulting firm Roland Berger, told the Global Times in a recent interview.