China's Consumption Story: A More Personal Perspective

China's Consumption Story: A More Personal Perspective by Andy Rothman, Matthews Asia

Over the course of the year, we’ve presented you with a lot of data in support of our view that China is the world’s best consumption story. Urban income, for example, rose 137% over the past decade, and by about 7% this year. Today, we would like to share a more personal perspective on Chinese consumers.

Earlier this month, we interviewed half a dozen business-people in Chengdu—a city of about 14 million in Sichuan Province, and one of the gateways to China's western region. Our discussions with five entrepreneurs and one state-owned enterprise (SOE) manager provide an anecdotal, personal perspective on how a few Chinese view their...