UOB released the “UOB Enterprise Outlook Survey Report 2025 (Mainland China)” (hereinafter referred to as the “Report”) in Beijing on the 17th, stating that ASEAN is regarded by Chinese enterprises as the most important overseas procurement market, terminal market and future investment destination.
The report stated that despite the continued international geopolitical risks and other factors that put pressure on corporate development, Chinese enterprises still showed strong resilience and adaptability, not only actively reconstructing and upgrading the supply chain, but also promoting digitalization and sustainable development with a long-term orientation.
The report shows that in the survey on the supply chain, the Chinese enterprises interviewed believed that the main challenges were: rising supply costs, procurement challenges and difficulties in working capital management. In addition, international geopolitical fluctuations have also brought varying degrees of impact to the supply chain of enterprises. Promoting the localization, diversification and digitalization of the supply chain is the main means for Chinese enterprises to strengthen the resilience of the supply chain. One-third of the enterprises said that they have achieved the diversification of supplier sources. The supply chain goes overseas and realizes the localization of procurement, production and sales, which is also a must for many enterprises.
The report pointed out that ASEAN is regarded by Chinese enterprises as the most important overseas procurement market, terminal market and future investment destination. Among them, Malaysia is the most popular, and Thailand, Singapore and Indonesia are also popular. At the same time, Chinese companies are also actively exploring high-potential customer markets such as North America and Europe, building a more resilient global supply chain network at multiple points, and further enhancing the company’s risk resistance.
Xin Tao, President of UOB Beijing Branch, said that Chinese companies’ supply chain strategies are accelerating from “China + 1” to a more robust “China + N”, and ASEAN’s position as a core hub is becoming increasingly prominent.
In addition, the digitalization process of corporate supply chains has also accelerated significantly. The report shows that companies have the most prominent demand for digital applications in inventory management. One-third of the surveyed companies have used digital platforms to obtain inventory information or use cross-border e-commerce platforms to find raw materials and suppliers. The proportion of digital applications in logistics and supply chain management has also increased.
UOB has launched the annual “UOB Corporate Outlook Survey Report” since 2020. Decision makers or senior managers of 600 large and medium-sized enterprises in mainland China participated in this year’s survey.