China AI firms face barriers to global expansion, MTR Lab says
QQQ•MTR Lab identified overseas commercial testing, enterprise relationships and regulatory compliance as key barriers to Chinese AI companies’ expansion, as China’s AI market exceeded RMB 1.2 trillion in 2025.
1. Expansion barriers
MTR Lab’s analysis identified overseas commercial testing, enterprise relationships and regulatory compliance as key barriers to Chinese AI companies’ international expansion. China’s AI market exceeded RMB 1.2 trillion in 2025, with estimated year-over-year growth of 40%. Gartner estimates Chinese-developed AI models could make up 50% of global enterprise AI portfolios by 2027, compared with 5% in 2025. The analysis said strategic corporate investment can support expansion through commercial pilots, local market expertise and access to enterprise customers.
