In recent years, China's home appliance exports have ushered in a new round of take-off, and washing machines, as the "big brother" of them, play a pivotal role. In 2024, China's home appliance exports will reach about 4.48 billion units, a year-on-year increase of 20.8%, and large products such as air conditioners, refrigerators, and washing machines will remain the main export categories. In the face of the new development pattern of "dual circulation" of "internal circulation and external circulation", China's washing machines have accelerated the "overseas" upgrade and continuously integrated domestic policy dividends and international market demand.
1. Policy combination: consumption subsidies Energy efficiency upgrades to stimulate the wave of home appliance renewal
The Chinese government continues to introduce strong policies to stimulate consumption upgrades, especially targeting trade-in demand.
Upgraded family replacement subsidies: In 2025, the "trade-in" project will expand the coverage of home appliance subsidies from 8 categories in 2024 to 12 categories, including microwave ovens, dishwashers, etc., which will also benefit washing machines and provide a subsidy of 500 yuan per piece for the purchase of digital devices such as mobile phones. The Ministry of Finance and the National Development and Reform Commission have arranged 8.1 billion yuan of special funds for subsidies in advance, which has effectively stimulated the demand for new domestic home appliances. According to statistics from the Ministry of Commerce, in the first four months of this year, the home appliance replacement project attracted more than 34 million people to participate, and a total of 51 million home appliances were sold, an increase of nearly 40% year-on-year, of which washing machines contributed significantly.
Green energy efficiency standard policy promotion: CLASP and other institutions pointed out that China's first-class energy efficiency washing machines have accounted for 99% of the market, but if the energy efficiency standard is raised by another 20%, it can reduce CO₂ emissions and 2.7 billion cubic meters of water resources per year, which is very considerable. "Made in China 2025" and energy emission reduction policies point to smarter and more energy-saving washing machine products.
2. "Dual circulation" strategy: go overseas to supplement the chain, and build a solid international and domestic two-wheel drive
External circulation rejuvenated: There is a strong demand for Chinese washing machines in markets such as the United States, the European Union, Japan, Russia and ASEAN. According to statistics, exports reached a record high of $355 million in January 2025. In addition, exports of home appliances generally rose in 2024: air conditioners increased by 28%, refrigerators by 21%, washing machines by 14%, and televisions by 11%.
Internal circulation deepens the technology chain and consumption chain: domestic consumption power continues to be released, and government subsidies make room for industrial upgrading. The "dual circulation" strategy encourages domestic demand, but also emphasizes the improvement of international competitiveness. Through subsidies, consumption is driven, providing technological upgrading power for domestic home appliance manufacturers, and at the same time expanding exports to make the industrial chain more resilient.
3. Competition and challenges coexist: trade frictions and market relayout
Trade frictions bring turning points and pressures: Sino-US and China-EU trade frictions pose challenges to washing machine exports, although the US anti-dumping investigation against China has eased in previous years. GE Appliances, a major American manufacturer, recently announced that it will return washing machine production to Kentucky, USA, and put it into production in 2027, showing the pressure of industrial chain restructuring in the context of anti-globalization.
Nevertheless, Chinese home appliance manufacturers can take advantage of the trend of "de-deep globalization" to accelerate the shift to emerging markets such as Southeast Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and Latin America, avoid high tariff barriers, and strengthen supply security and service timeliness through overseas localized production. In addition, the infrastructure of countries along the "Belt and Road" continues to improve, which is conducive to the export of home appliances and the construction of the aftermarket.
4. Transformation path: intelligence, localization and global service system
1. Intelligent upgrades
The global washing machine market is rapidly moving towards intelligent connectivity: the demand for smart, energy-efficient, and IoT-driven washing machines will continue to rise in 2024. Chinese manufacturers are accelerating the layout of AI washing, App control and remote maintenance to achieve differentiated competition.
2. Localized production layout
In the face of the reverse localization trend in Europe and the United States, Chinese home appliance companies are also building factories overseas. Southeast Asia is already a major export assembly base, reducing logistics costs and enhancing declaration convenience. In some countries in Latin America and Africa, we also carry out assembly cooperation to make products more suitable for local needs.
3. Global service network
Home appliance services are more important than ten thousand gold. Chinese brands are strengthening their overseas after-sales service layout, such as establishing maintenance stations, parts warehousing and local training systems to enhance brand reputation.
5. Outlook: The significance of the times in the new stage of home appliances going overseas
Under the guidance of the "dual circulation" strategy, China's washing machine industry has ushered in a new stage of development: no longer only low-end mass production, but through intelligent, efficient and localized services to the global highland. A series of comprehensive trends will support the industry to move towards high-quality development.
At the same time, challenges remain. For example, the reshoring trend of manufacturing in the United States is strong, and China needs to start with structural upgrading, global supply chain optimization and market diversification to enhance its stable competitiveness. In the future, if China's washing machines can occupy the global market under the combination of "smart green and local services", it will not only be a hardware export, but also an important symbol of the spread of "Made in China" to the world.
All in all, China's home appliances go overseas, represented by washing machines, and are no longer satisfied with "mass exports", but move towards the all-round export of "quality, service and intelligence", and strive to achieve industrial chain upgrading and global competitiveness reshaping under the new situation.