China considered a tech world leader

High technology continues to play an influential role in the Chinese infrastructure industry, industry 4.0 and bio-pharmaceutical industry, and not only brings convenience and efficiency, but also changes consumption behaviors in the country, said Zhong Ming, general manager of the Hakuhodo Institute of Life and Living Shanghai.

Chinese people tend to ask those they trust for advice on purchases, try different products with convenient refund policies and use more visiting services, the report said.

The "ATM" model or "ask, try and my way behavior" model, illustrates that Chinese people are showing self-motivation to use digital technology to solve problems in life, which is a key finding of the report, Bao said.

Chinese people don't just rely on digital information to make consumer decisions–they have an increasing level of insight on new technologies and aren't controlled by them, Bao said.

The "ATM" model requires businesses to use an "ATM marketing strategy" to manage customer relationships, through not just traditional media strategies, but also through online and offline experiences, said Yang Surui, marketing expert with Hakuhodo Inc.

The rapid development of the high-technology industry in the country has been supported by government. China's investment in artificial intelligence accounted for 48 percent of the world's total last year, according to CB Insights, a US venture capital research agency.