In terms of scale, scope and speed, China’s socioeconomic rise since 1978, the beginning of the era of reform and opening, represents a phenomenon that has never before occurred in human history – it has been, beyond any doubt, a First Time in History (FTIH) phenomenon.

According to senior international scholar, Mr. John Van Fleet, the most powerful expression of FTIH is China’s mobile e-commerce environment, where all these factors come together: a rapidly rising population of Chinese consumers with disposable income, the technology to access and seamlessly pay for global products and services, and the infrastructure to ensure rapid delivery.

On 24th March 2022, UoM China Centre hosted Manchester Global MBA Masterclass online for current students, alumni as well as perspective students, where Mr. John Van Fleet delivered an insightful and interactive lecture for nearly 500 audience online.

During the masterclass, John discussed how FTIH expresses itself dramatically in the rapid ascent of China’s ‘soft’ brands – media, fashion, cosmetics, video games and the like. John also led the audience to study several Chinese soft-brand cases: Shein in ultra-fast fashion, miHoYo in video games and a host of Chinese cosmetics brands, along with TikTok of course. Besides, the masterclass also reflected the development of Chinese EV companies, as mobility is increasingly a ‘soft’ brand experience, not just a vehicle purchase.

Full Record of the Masterclass