At the PartnerBoost EVOLVE Summit in Shenzhen, one thing became clear: Chinese brands are entering a new phase of global growth, and affiliate marketing is becoming a key lever in that journey.
The event brought together around 1,600 attendees and offered a clear view of how quickly the market is evolving. More brands, more partners, and a growing number of international players all pointed to increasing momentum. Across conversations at the event, we saw a clear shift: many Chinese brands are moving beyond marketplace success and focusing on trust, brand building, and international expansion - with affiliate partnerships playing an important role.
For advertisers and publishers in Europe, this shift brings both new opportunities and growing competitive pressure.
China’s Affiliate Market Is Gaining Momentum
For a long time, affiliate marketing has not played as central a role in China as it has in more mature European markets. That is now changing.
At the PartnerBoost EVOLVE Summit, this was clearly visible. The event itself has grown significantly, with more brands, more partners, and a strong increase in international publishers such as intent.ly and Kwanko. The focus was increasingly on one-to-one meetings and building direct partnerships.
This reflects a broader development: Chinese brands are placing more emphasis on expanding beyond established channels like Amazon and are actively exploring how affiliate marketing can support visibility, credibility, and growth in new markets.
Affiliate is moving from a secondary channel to a strategic growth lever - and the pace of this shift is accelerating.
Chinese Brands Are Scaling - Fast and Strategically
One of the most striking takeaways from the summit was the ambition and professionalism of the brands present. Across large, mid-sized, and emerging companies, there is a clear focus on international growth and a willingness to move fast to achieve it.
Chinese brands are no longer competing on price alone. Many offer high-quality products, strong design, and a seamless user experience. What stands out is not just the product quality, but the mindset. Chinese brands are highly proactive, open to experimentation, and actively exploring new partnership models.
For many, success on marketplaces like Amazon is already established - but the focus is now shifting towards building their own brand, expanding into new markets, and creating long-term value. In this context, affiliate marketing is becoming an increasingly important part of the mix. Brands are actively looking for publishers and partners who can help them build credibility, increase visibility, and scale internationally.
In short: affiliate is becoming a central lever in how Chinese brands approach global growth. For European players, this signals a change in the e-commerce landscape. These are not passive market entrants, they are ambitious, fast-moving, and ready to scale.
A Wake-Up Call for European Brands
For European brands, this shift is both an opportunity and a wake-up call.
The competitive landscape is evolving. Chinese brands are entering international markets with strong products, a clear growth mindset, and a willingness to experiment with different channels and partnership models. They are not constrained by traditional approaches and are often quicker to test and scale what works.
This creates pressure on established brands to re-evaluate their own strategies. Rigid channel preferences or outdated assumptions about affiliate marketing can become a limitation in a more dynamic environment.
The real opportunity lies in challenging existing thinking: being open to new publisher models, reconsidering long-held assumptions, and adapting strategies to keep pace with a faster-moving market.
A Clear Opportunity for Publishers
For publishers, this shift creates a clear and immediate opportunity.
Chinese brands are actively looking for partners who can support their international expansion - not just to drive performance, but to build trust, visibility, and long-term brand presence in new markets. At the summit, this was reflected in the strong focus on networking and the high demand for one-to-one meetings between brands and publishers.
What makes this particularly interesting is the openness of these brands. Many are willing to explore different types of partnerships and collaborate with a wide range of publisher models. Combined with high-quality products and a strong ambition to grow, this creates a compelling foundation for new partnerships.
For publishers who are open to working with new and, in some cases, less well-known brands, this represents significant growth potential.
Looking ahead, the developments seen at the PartnerBoost EVOLVE Summit are unlikely to remain isolated. As Chinese brands continue to invest in brand building and international expansion, affiliate marketing will play an increasingly important role in connecting them with partners globally.
For advertisers and publishers alike, this is a space to watch closely - and to engage with early.