A host takes a selfie with a Labubu toy during a special AliExpress livestream featuring Pop Mart on June 18. [Photo/hangzhou.com.cn]

Labubu, a mischievous figurine from China's Pop Mart, has captured global attention — becoming a symbol of the country's booming cross-border e-commerce industry.

On June 18, a special AliExpress livestream featuring Pop Mart drew over 240,000 international viewers from the United Kingdom, Canada, New Zealand and beyond. Eager fans snapped up Labubu and other popular IPs within minutes, marking a milestone moment for Chinese toys going global.

Behind this success is Hangzhou, home to e-commerce giant Alibaba and a leader in digital trade innovation. In 2015, Hangzhou became China's first city to launch a cross-border e-commerce pilot zone. A decade later, the model has expanded nationwide, with Zhejiang province now a core hub for digital trade, logistics, and content-driven exports.

At Alibaba's Xixi campus in Hangzhou, livestream teams plan global marketing campaigns and influencer partnerships to help brands like Pop Mart thrive overseas. Tactics include reverse livestreaming, where international creators visit China's manufacturing base to connect global audiences with the origin of their favorite toys.

As Zhejiang deepens support for digital exports, including gaming and pop culture IPs, Labubu's global journey shows how "Made in China" products are becoming beloved the world over.

Customers talk outside a Pop Mart chain store overseas. [Photo/CCTV]