Several Chinese brands now hold strong positions in the Middle East. They sell phones, cars, fashion and everyday products, and their paths were different. The lessons behind their growth are similar, and new entrants can use them. This article looks at Chinese brands that grew in the Middle East and six marketing lessons from their experience.
1. Huawei: Stores Build Trust for Premium Technology
Huawei opened its first brand store in the Middle East and Africa at The Dubai Mall, with its partner Axiom Telecom. It later opened flagship stores in Riyadh, including one of more than 2,000 square metres. Stores let buyers touch premium phones and talk to staff before they spend a large amount. For expensive products, a physical presence in top malls tells buyers that the brand plans to stay.
2. Shein: Local Payments and Delivery
Shein entered the Middle East around 2015 and opened an office in Dubai. Early on, it worked on cash on delivery in Saudi Arabia, which many buyers preferred at the time. Its app and website are fully available in Arabic. Today it is the most visited fashion shopping site in Saudi Arabia, according to Semrush data. In June 2026 it brought its Xcelerator program for local fashion brands to the region. New entrants should adapt payment and delivery to local habits from the first day.
3. BYD: A Strong Local Partner and After-Sales Service
BYD entered Saudi Arabia in February 2024 through Al-Futtaim Electric Mobility, with launch events in Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam on the same day. Its first Riyadh showroom opened in May 2024 with a service centre in the same building. Showrooms and service points then followed in other cities. Our guide to electric vehicle marketing in the Middle East covers the category. The lesson is to choose an established partner and show service and repair from launch.
4. Chinese Car Brands: Lead With Technology and Value
Geely, MG, Changan, Chery, Jetour and Haval have grown fast in Saudi Arabia. Together, Chinese brands took about 13% of new car sales in the first half of 2026. In a 2024 CARMA study, more than 70% of buyers in Saudi Arabia and the UAE agreed that Chinese cars have advanced technology. Their growth shows the value of leading with features and price, and of answering reliability doubts with clear warranties.
5. Temu: Faster Delivery Through Local Stock
Temu launched in the UAE in September 2023, then expanded to Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries. It partnered with the logistics company EMX to speed up delivery in the UAE. In January 2026 it opened its local seller program in the UAE, so sellers with stock in the country can deliver faster. Temu says it ranked as the top shopping app on Android in the UAE, citing Similarweb data. Low prices win the first order, and fast local delivery wins the next ones.
6. Chinese Smartphone Brands: A Model for Every Budget
Honor, Xiaomi and Transsion, which owns TECNO, Infinix and itel, hold large shares of the regional phone market. In the third quarter of 2024, these three held nearly half of the Middle East smartphone market, excluding Türkiye, according to Canalys. Chinese brands held 59% of smartphone shipments in the Middle East and Africa in the second quarter of 2025, according to Counterpoint Research. Their range covers entry-level phones and flagship models. Our guide to consumer electronics marketing explains the category. Clear choices at each price level and frequent new models keep these brands in front of buyers.
What These Brands Have in Common
| Factor | Examples |
|---|---|
| Local partners | Huawei with Axiom Telecom, BYD with Al-Futtaim |
| Local payments and delivery | Shein with cash on delivery, Temu with local sellers |
| Visible service and stores | Huawei flagship stores, BYD service centres |
| Clear value | Chinese car and smartphone brands |
Lessons for Smaller Chinese Brands
Most new entrants do not have the budgets of Huawei or BYD. They can still apply the same lessons on a smaller scale. A good distributor can replace your own stores. Marketplaces such as Amazon and Noon give you local delivery and cash on delivery. Arabic reviews and creator videos can replace large launch events. Our guide to finding distributors in the Middle East explains the first step.
How to Apply These Lessons
Start with one or two markets and a strong partner. Make payments, delivery and service local before you spend heavily on awareness. Then capture demand with search ads, because buyers search on Google once they hear about a brand. Build Arabic product pages and a Google Business Profile for every store and service centre, so buyers find you when they search. Measure which countries and products bring the most sales, then scale them. Our guide to Google Ads for Chinese brands explains how to set up campaigns.
Conclusion
Huawei, Shein, BYD, Temu and the Chinese car and phone brands grew in the Middle East with local partners, local payments, visible service and clear value. New Chinese entrants can follow the same path. GOTOMENA helps brands turn interest into sales through our Arabic Google Ads and PPC services. To plan your growth in the region, contact our team.