Chinese firms harness technology for empowerment

You have probably heard of KFC. But in the internet lexicon, that catchphrase does not refer to the famous US fried chicken chain. It represents the initials of the slogan: "Kaobei (the pinyin for copy) from China".

Clearly, the country's shift from creating so-called technology clones to a genuine innovation powerhouse is no longer an aspiration, but a fact.

Case in point: Chinese e-commerce players not only generate big numbers in sheer transaction volume online but reshape the manufacturing process based on personalized needs and move to revamp physical retailing. This would help them gain an advantage over international rivals such as Amazon and eBay, which have just put stakes in this area.