Foreign Giants Investing Heavily in China's Tech Leaders

In recent months, Chinese tech stocks listed in the United States have experienced a remarkable surge, with Alibaba alone witnessing an impressive rise of over 60% in 2023. This upward trajectory can be attributed to the significant interest from major investment firms, as revealed in the latest 13F filings. Heavyweights such as Morgan Stanley and Renaissance Technologies began substantially increasing their positions in Chinese tech leaders, including Alibaba, as early as the fourth quarter of last year.

According to these filings, at the end of the fourth quarter, Morgan Stanley increased its holdings of Alibaba shares by 2.54 million, bringing its total to 12.14 million. Prominent hedge fund manager David Tepper, through his firm Appaloosa Management, raised his Alibaba stake from 10 million shares to 11.84 million. Furthermore, Renaissance Technologies doubled its position to acquire 2.995 million shares, and International Group added 1.318 million shares to its holdings.

This trend is not limited to Alibaba. Other Chinese tech stocks have also seen varying degrees of foreign institutional inflows. By the end of the fourth quarter, Appaloosa owned 10.4659 million shares of JD.com, a substantial increase from 7.3 million shares at the end of Q3. The firm also increased its Baidu holdings to 1.528 million shares, up from 1.425 million. Additionally, JPMorgan Chase significantly boosted its investments in NIO and XPeng, acquiring 1.5759 million and 4.2271 million shares, respectively—representing increases of 65.37% and a staggering 1138.14% since Q3.

As of February 19, the KraneShares China Internet ETF has seen remarkable growth, expanding its size to $8.214 billion, a notable rise from $5.414 billion at the end of last year—an increase of $2.8 billion. The ETF's top five holdings now include Alibaba, Tencent Holdings, Pinduoduo, Meituan, and Trip.com Group.

Investment professionals see significant potential in Chinese assets, particularly in tech stocks, due to various factors including valuation advantages, opportunities arising from economic transformation, and potential for technological innovation. According to the Chief Global Market Strategist at Invesco, Chinese stock valuations have been appealing for years, and recent catalysts could usher in long-term growth for the market, especially within the tech sector.

In Wellington Management's recent market outlook for 2025, a compelling perspective on the Chinese market indicates the need for investors to pivot focus. As the global economic landscape undergoes profound shifts and China itself evolves, investors should transition their attention from short-term policy expectations to long-term structural opportunities in key industries.

In the past, China's rapid economic growth benefited from short-term policy stimuli, enticing investors to chase immediate returns based on policy movements. However, the current strategic framework of China's economic development is undergoing significant transformation with multi-faceted reasons driving this change. Domestically, after years of vigorous expansion, China has amassed a substantial economy where simply chasing nominal growth rates is neither sustainable nor devoid of adverse effects like resource misallocation and environmental degradation. On the international stage, ongoing trade friction and rising protectionism signal the need for breakthroughs in high-end industries to enhance China’s standing in the global supply chain.

Against this backdrop, China is prioritizing sustainable development and the cultivation of high-value-added sectors. The transition is particularly evident in several industries. For instance, the solar panel industry in China has surged in response to rising global demand for clean energy. Leveraging its dominance in photovoltaic technology research and production, China has rapidly established itself as a leading global producer and exporter of solar panels.

Similarly, the electric vehicle (EV) sector is benefitting from robust governmental support, from policy incentives to the development of infrastructure. Domestic companies are heavily investing in R&D, achieving significant advancements in battery and autonomous driving technologies. Consequently, Chinese EV brands are gaining a foothold in the global market, experiencing growing sales both domestically and internationally, reinforcing their presence as a hallmark of China's high-end manufacturing capability.

The high-end consumer goods sector is also witnessing renewed opportunities. As Chinese consumers' income levels rise and their consumption preferences evolve, demand for high-quality, personalized products continues to swell. Domestic high-end brands are making strides in design, quality, and cultural narrative, gradually gaining recognition. Moreover, they are proactively expanding into international markets, working to promote Chinese brand culture and enhance global influence.

The growth in these industries is not only poised to enhance overall productivity within China’s economy but could also redefine the next wave of winners in the global economic environment. For investors, this entails a need to recalibrate strategies; rather than merely responding to short-term policy shifts, they must research underlying trends with a focus on the long-term growth potential of pivotal industries. Identifying companies excelling in technological innovation, market expansion, and brand development will be crucial in reaping the benefits of industry advancements through long-term investments.

Despite the recent rebound of the Chinese stock market, Wellington Management maintains that the overall value of Chinese equities remains relatively underestimated, offering compelling opportunities for long-term investors. UBS’s China equity strategist, Meng Lei, emphasizes the significance of domestically developed models like DeepSeek, which demonstrate how minor investments can match the performance of leading global models. This revitalizes investor attention on Chinese innovation and suggests that the capital market will increasingly support technological advancements and industrial transformations.

From Morgan Stanley's perspective, the growing confidence from investors in China's tech industry could allow for a holistic recovery of valuations across Chinese assets.