South Korean tech giant Samsung Electronics has notified its partners of its decision to cease sales of televisions and home appliances in mainland China, according to the Korean publication Khan.co.kr, citing industry sources. The company has operated in this market for 34 years.

According to Seoul Economic Daily, Samsung China Investment Corporation held a briefing with employees: sales of televisions and home appliances in the country will be suspended. However, the company will maintain its presence in the medical devices, mobile devices, and semiconductor segments. Production of televisions and home appliances at the Suzhou plant will continue, with finished products exported.

Nikkei Asia sources were the first to report Samsung's possible exit in late April: according to them, the company intends to gradually sell off its inventory and cease operations in 2026. The manufacturer itself stated at the time that a final decision had not yet been made.

The reason for this retreat was the rise of local brands. According to research firm Runto Technology, of the 32,89 million televisions shipped in China in 2025, Samsung and other foreign manufacturers accounted for less than 1 million units. In the home appliance market, local players Midea and Haier accounted for 62%, according to AVC Revo. Xiaomi, TCL, and Hisense have also significantly displaced Korean brands in the television segment.

The global balance of power clearly illustrates the scale of the change: if in 2016, Chinese companies' share of global TV sales was 16%, while Samsung and LG together controlled 35%, then by 2025 the ratio has changed – 31,9% versus 30,4%, respectively, according to Euromonitor data.