(Yicai) Oct. 20 -- Over 20 home appliance retailers from Southeast Asian countries attended the 138th China Import and Export Fair (Canton Fair) in Guangzhou to strengthen partnerships with Chinese manufacturers and jointly expand in the region’s growing market.

“We want to further strengthen cooperation with Chinese home appliance suppliers,” Yap Ming Sin, president of the Malaysian Electrical Appliances Distributors Association (SWEDA), told Yicai during the fair, adding that the share of Chinese brands is expected to keep growing. The twice-per-year event -- one of the world’s largest trade exhibitions -- continues till next month.

Chinese brands such as Haier, Hisense, TCL, and Midea have gained strong traction in Malaysia over the past five years, driven by cost-effective products and localized operations, Yap noted.

Local sales of Chinese brands have been rising by 20 percent to 30 percent annually in recent years, accounting for 40 percent to 50 percent of SWEDA members’ total revenue, he added.

Wilson Yeoh, a director of Malaysian retailer Ban Hin Bee, said China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations can collaborate further in smart home technologies, energy efficiency, and digital transformation, combining Chinese innovation with ASEAN’s diverse market base to shape future consumer trends.

Vietnam’s second-largest appliance retailer, FPT Retail, also plans to deepen cooperation with Chinese firms, Executive Vice President Viet Anh Nguyen told Yicai. FPT operates more than 2,000 chain stores, and as Generation Z consumers increasingly shift to online shopping, the company aims to strengthen e-commerce partnerships with Chinese suppliers.

Southeast Asia’s youthful demographics, strong consumption potential, and relatively low appliance penetration indicate vast growth opportunities, according to Wen Jianping, founder and president of China-ASEAN data agency AVI DATA.

The region’s home appliance and consumer electronics market was valued at about USD100 billion last year and is expected to exceed USD120 billion by 2030 and reach USD150 billion by 2035, Wen added.

Editors: Dou Shicong, Emmi Laine