第一财经·2025-05-19 12:56Core Viewpoint - Midea Group's chairman Fang Hongbo acknowledges competition with Xiaomi, emphasizing tactical awareness while maintaining a strategic confidence in their market position. Midea aims to enhance high-value products while also competing on cost to prevent Xiaomi from capturing market share [1][3]. Group 1: Competition Dynamics - Xiaomi's home appliance sales, including air conditioners, refrigerators, and washing machines, saw over 50% year-on-year growth in 2024, with a notable low-price strategy in air conditioning [1][5]. - Midea's subsidiary Hualing has adopted a low-price strategy to counter Xiaomi's market encroachment, indicating a clear competitive response [1][5]. - The air conditioning market is becoming increasingly competitive, with Midea, Gree, and Xiaomi vying for market share, particularly as the domestic appliance market faces growth challenges [5][9]. Group 2: Market Position and Strategy - Midea and Xiaomi previously had a strategic partnership, with Midea learning from Xiaomi's internet approach while Xiaomi benefited from Midea's manufacturing expertise. However, Xiaomi's entry into the home appliance market has shifted the relationship to direct competition [3][4]. - Fang Hongbo highlights the need for Midea to simplify its product offerings to enhance growth, contrasting with Xiaomi's fewer product models [3][6]. - Midea is focusing on high-value products while also preparing to compete on cost, indicating a dual strategy to address market challenges posed by Xiaomi [3][6]. Group 3: Market Trends and Projections - The air conditioning market is currently the largest segment in the domestic appliance sector, with favorable conditions such as government subsidies for replacing old units driving demand [5][9]. - Xiaomi's market share in the online air conditioning segment has risen significantly, moving from the top four to the top three, while Midea's share has slightly decreased [6][8]. - The upcoming "6.18" sales event is expected to intensify competition among leading brands, with price wars likely to impact overall market dynamics [8][9].