TECH

Chinese Firms Face Rising Compliance Demands in Global Expansion

Published: Mar. 19, 2026 11:33 p.m. GMT+8

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AWS holds roughly a 70% share of the cloud market for Chinese companies operating abroad. Photo: VCG

Compliance requirements for Chinese companies expanding overseas surged 250% in 2025, according to an Amazon Web Services executive, underscoring a shift in the challenges they face abroad.

The remarks, delivered at an AWS conference on Wednesday, highlight how regulatory compliance has become central for Chinese firms as they push into global markets with higher-value products and integrated supply chains.

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Compliance requirements for Chinese companies overseas surged 250% in 2025 as regulatory complexity increases, particularly in AI and technology sectors.
China’s AI-related exports reached $840.7 billion in 2025 (22% of total exports); AWS estimates the collaborative expansion model will hit $1 trillion by 2026.
Firms are adopting GDPR-based global compliance and prioritizing security, while AWS plans a $200 billion cloud and AI infrastructure investment in 2026.

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Who’s Who

Amazon Web Services: Amazon Web Services (AWS) is a cloud market leader for Chinese companies operating abroad, holding about a 70% share. An AWS executive noted a 250% surge in compliance requirements for these companies in 2025. AWS plans to invest approximately $200 billion in cloud and AI infrastructure in 2026, highlighting their commitment to supporting Chinese firms' global expansion.

Vivo: Vivo, a Chinese smartphone maker, navigates a fragmented global regulatory landscape as it expands internationally. Lu Jinghui, Vivo's chief security officer, highlights the varied compliance requirements across regions, from Europe's GDPR to less defined rules in the Middle East. He also warns of new vulnerabilities as AI evolves, emphasizing the need for robust security measures, such as preventing prompt-injection attacks, to protect brand trust.

Lalamove: Lalamove, an international logistics platform, adopts the EU's GDPR as its highest compliance standard. This allows them to create a global compliance framework, enabling a "build once, deploy globally" strategy to navigate varied international regulations.

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