Robots, AI, and innovative drugs — the so-called new ‘New Three’ — have become China's newest foreign trade calling card, with state media highlighting their explosive overseas performance.
In the first half of 2026, China's industrial robot exports jumped 18.6% year-on-year, reaching 141 countries and regions. Surgical robot exports surged 3.3 times. The numbers signal more than industrial upgrading: they mark a solid entry into the global high-end medical market, confirming that Chinese manufacturing has evolved from the labor-intensive old 'New Three' to the technology-intensive new 'New Three’.
AI technology is accelerating integration with hardware, opening up new application scenarios in overseas markets.
As for AI: data from OpenRouter, a global AI model aggregation platform, shows that in the third week of July, China's large models recorded 36.11 trillion tokens in weekly usage, ranking first globally for twelve consecutive weeks.
That report card means China's large models are not only popular domestically but have also secured a leading position in the global AI application market, outpacing competitors for three straight months.
Innovative drugs also broke through. In the first half, China's National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) approved 11 innovative drugs with new targets and mechanisms, all independently developed by Chinese pharmaceutical companies.
AI-assisted R&D is shortening the cycle for new drug discovery, speeding up the internationalization of homegrown innovative drugs.
Out-licensing transaction value reached about $110 billion (HK$858 billion), already 80% of last year's total. Chinese companies also claimed eight of the top ten global pharmaceutical transactions. That shows Chinese pharmaceutical companies are no longer 'following' — they've taken the lead in the global innovative drug transaction market.
Global Impact and Open-Source Leadership
Chinese-made cleaning robots are replacing high-altitude 'spider-men' in Australia, cutting the risks of dangerous work. In Brazil, Chinese large models assist local power grids with maintenance and inspection in complex environments.
An innovative drug capsule from Shanghai has also been included in global authoritative treatment guidelines. These concrete cases show that China's new ‘New Three' are not just a slogan — they are genuinely changing daily lives in other countries.
NBC recently cited a Pew Research Center poll released July 15, pointing out that the view of China as a more reliable partner is gaining recognition in many regions. Even the Financial Times reported that international platforms like Pinterest and Airbnb have long used Chinese open-source models to optimize products and iterate services.
France's Libération added that thanks to a complete production system and economies of scale, Chinese innovative drugs often launch at prices far below European and American counterparts. After some cancer treatments enter the French medical insurance system, each patient can save tens of thousands of euros annually.
Some Western countries, in contrast, have been building walls and barriers to contain China's tech rise. But China is doubling down on an open-source ecosystem, giving small and medium-sized enterprises and developing countries worldwide access to top-tier computing power at rock-bottom costs.
Global downloads of Chinese open-source large models have surpassed 10 billion. And on July 28, the World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization was officially established in Shanghai, hailed as a milestone in AI
Western Dependence and Expert Endorsements
A Morgan Stanley report put it bluntly: Without China, the supply-chain cost for Tesla's Optimus Gen 2 humanoid robot would multiply several times over. That's a stinging rebuke to the West — even Elon Musk's own robot project can't escape China's supply chain.
Industrial robots are now widely used in automated sorting and logistics, boosting supply chain efficiency
Wang Xiaosong, a professor at Renmin University's School of Economics, argues that China's manufacturing upgrade rests on a complete, constantly evolving industrial system, sustained R&D spending, and a super-sized market.
It's the fruit of hard work and open collaboration. Over the past five years, China's R&D spending has grown 10% annually, ranking second globally.
Retired Pakistani Air Force Colonel Sultan Hali, a China expert, recently argued that Chinese-style modernization shows tech innovation isn't just a national engine — it can also fuel global development through open cooperation.
That's, to some extent, a direct rebuttal to the 'China threat theory': China brings opportunity, not impact; empowerment, not threats.
Mao Paishou
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France's National Assembly has passed the "Anti-Ultra-Fast-Fashion Law." The legislation aims to curb the flood of low-cost clothing into the French market. In practice, it primarily targets Chinese cross-border e-commerce platforms such as Shein, Temu (Pinduoduo's cross-border e-commerce brand) and AliExpress.
France's new law targets Chinese low-cost clothing platforms like Shein.
However, European homegrown fast-fashion giants like Zara and H&M are exempted.
China's Ministry of Commerce has lodged a formal protest, saying the law violates the World Trade Organization's non-discrimination principle and constitutes a trade barrier. Beijing has warned it will retaliate if necessary.
Commerce Ministry blasts discriminatory curbs, vows countermeasures if Chinese firms' rights are violated.
Under the law, a fine of between €0.25 and €6 will be imposed on each qualifying item starting in 2026. That fine rises to as much as €10 per item by 2030. France's National Assembly additionally passed a government amendment that toughened the penalties further. The amendment raises the maximum per-item fine in 2030 to €20, while capping total fines at 50 percent of a product's pre-tax price.
Separately, the European Union formally scrapped the customs exemption for parcels valued under €150 starting July 1. It now imposes a flat €3 duty on every low-value parcel shipped directly from outside the bloc. Together, these two policies have created unprecedented barriers for Chinese cross-border e-commerce platforms entering overseas markets.
A Ministry of Commerce spokesperson criticized France for adopting discriminatory restrictions. The spokesperson said the legislation seriously distorts fair competition, and China views the matter with grave concern.
The law is framed under the guise of "environmental" and "sustainability" standards, but in effect it is an exclusionary measure that may breach WTO non-discrimination rules. It already constitutes a trade barrier against China, a stark departure from the fair competition and free trade principles France claims to champion.
This, the spokesperson added, would harm not only the legitimate rights of Chinese companies but also French consumers' own interests.
China has urged France to immediately correct its discriminatory practices. Beijing says it will closely monitor how the implementing rules are drafted and enforced. It will take necessary countermeasures should the legitimate rights of Chinese firms be infringed.
Three Thresholds, One Clear Target
The law sets out three thresholds for products. Platforms fall under strict regulation if they launch more than 15,000 new styles a year on the EU market, sell items averaging below €5, or offer products with an expected lifespan of fewer than 30 washes. Meeting any single criterion is enough to trigger the rules. Critics say this framework appears "tailor-made" for Shein, Temu and AliExpress.
France's law looks "tailor-made" to target platforms like Temu, critics say.
France's Minister for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises and Commerce, Serge Papin, said bluntly that the law targets the fast-fashion industry's major players. He explicitly named Shein, Temu and AliExpress, singling out their business model based on stockpiling and constant turnover.
According to China News Weekly, Shein, Temu and other Chinese cross-border platforms have reshaped France's fashion market since entering the country. They have done so by riding on rock-bottom prices and a relentless pace of new arrivals. Public data show these platforms now account for 6 percent of total apparel purchases in France. Shein ranks among the country's top five clothing brands by sales.
In terms of consumer behavior, ultra-fast fashion and second-hand resale together make up a quarter of the French apparel market. Some 38 percent of French consumers have tried a Chinese cross-border platform. That figure rises to 56 percent among women aged 16 to 24.
Liu Beibei is head of overseas business at Dongguan Tongfa Knitting, a long-time contract manufacturer for European clothing brands specializing in mid-to-high-end garments. She said overseas clients have asked her why other companies' wool products are sold so cheaply after spotting the low prices on fast-fashion platforms.
Liu admits the cross-border platforms have dealt a heavy blow to Europe's fashion industry.
Using wool products as an example, she notes that the source of the wool, farming methods and spinning techniques all affect final costs. A 100 percent wool sweater can sell for as little as €40 or as much as €200, but there is a big difference in craftsmanship and quality. "There's a lot beneath the surface," she says. She believes younger consumers' preferences are shifting toward platforms offering faster new arrivals and lower prices.
A "Tiered Eco-Fine" at the Core
Reports indicate the scheme's core mechanism is a "tiered eco-fine." In 2026, fines of €0.25 to €12 will apply per item. That maximum rises to €20 per item by 2030, capped at half the product's price. This means a dress selling for €5 could face a fine of up to €2.50. On top of the EU's flat €3 duty per parcel, this would push up costs for consumers substantially.
Media calculations suggest a T-shirt selling for €10 online costs €3.50 to manufacture. Add €2 for air freight, €1.50 in import VAT, €2.50 for last-mile delivery and €1 in platform commission. That leaves only €0.50 in profit before the new €3 duty, which would push the platform into an outright loss.
Analysts warn other European nations may follow suit against platforms like AliExpress.
Kang Di is a lawyer at Beijing Ceehin (Shenzhen) Law Firm specializing in cross-border compliance and international trade rules. She said the law poses a substantive and far-reaching impact on platforms like Shein and Temu.
Kang noted the law introduces a "tiered eco-fine" mechanism, an EPR Bonus-Malus system, that directly squeezes the price advantage and profit margins of platforms selling low-priced items. This exposes companies to clear compliance red lines.
She added that the law also cuts off the social media influencer marketing channels these platforms rely on heavily. Non-compliant influencers face administrative fines of up to €100,000.
There’s a deeper political logic behind France's tough unilateral legislation in the fast-fashion sector, according to Kang. It is well rooted in a structural crisis facing its domestic retail sector.
Homegrown brands carrying the collective memory of France's middle class, such as Camaïeu and Naf Naf, have gone bankrupt or entered judicial restructuring one after another. France's traditional retail sector largely blames external competitive pressure for these struggles. It points to the tax exemption once enjoyed by Chinese cross-border platforms on small parcels, and to China's supply-chain flexibility.
Kang suggests the law is largely a defensive response to global supply-chain restructuring, one that objectively erects a trade barrier to protect the domestic textile industry.
Zara and H&M Left Untouched
European fast-fashion giants Zara, H&M and Primark are all exempt from the law. France's commerce minister openly stated, "We are here to protect French retailers." A French Senate rapporteur reportedly confirmed the government had already run simulations before the standards were finalized, showing only Chinese platforms would fall under the regulatory net.
According to China News Weekly, citing Song Liwei, a senior consultant at Shanghai Sanwei Law Firm, France's strained textile-recycling system and above-average carbon emissions from its textile sector are shared environmental problems across Europe.
The law traces its legislative roots to France's Anti-Waste and Circular Economy Law and its Climate Change Response and Resilience Law. Environmental NGOs, circular-economy associations and the garment-repair industry all lobbied throughout the process. Curbing single-use consumption and promoting circular fashion were the law's publicly stated goals.
The text itself names no specific country, platform or region, avoiding direct discrimination on paper.
However, Song also noted the rules effectively target Chinese cross-border direct-mail platforms, while European homegrown fast-fashion brands escape regulation. This has prompted even voices within the French parliament to criticize the law as "hijacked by lobbying from the domestic fashion industry, deliberately exempting Europe's own giants."
Fears of a Europe-Wide Domino Effect
Beyond French regulation, Chinese cross-border e-commerce platforms also face spillover regulatory pressure across Europe. The EU's Environment Council has begun coordinating related action. The Netherlands is raising its clothing recycling targets, while Germany is launching legislation for textile Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR).
Song warned this could trigger a chain reaction of other EU member states following France's lead. That would eventually form a unified regulatory framework across the entire EU, one that would fundamentally rewrite the underlying logic of how Chinese fast-fashion brands expand overseas.
