Made in China or Made in PRC is a country of origin label, often in English language, affixed to products wholly or partially made in the People's Republic of China (PRC). The label became prominent in the 1990s, when foreign companies based in the United States, Europe and Asia moved their manufacturing operations to China due to China's low production costs of clothing, electronics and other goods.^[1] "Made in China" eventually became associated with cheap, exploitable labor, churning out numerous mass market products of low quality.

Goods "made in China", however, have been produced through supply chains that usually included multiple countries along the way.^[2]

History

The label was first widely used during Japanese occupation of China in the Second Sino-Japanese War, when Chinese civilians began to boycott Japanese-made products. At the time, China's economy lacked a framework for effective industrialization. As such, boycotting foreign-made products and buying domestic ones at that time became a way to put pressure on the Japanese economy under the so-called "national salvation effort".^[3]

By the early 21st century goods labeled "Made in China" were often only partially made in China, such as US-designed iPhone.^[2] In 2015, China devised "Made in China 2025", the government’s ten-year plan to update national manufacturing base by rapid development of local high-tech industry.^[3]