eTOC x Chinazone presents

China Commerce and Innovation Trip

Beijing · Hangzhou · Shanghai

6 days / 5 nights · 11–16 April 2027 · 10–40 delegates

A learning expedition for founders, operators, marketers and investors into the ecosystem where one livestream hour outsells a flagship store's whole month and domestic brands rewrite the playbook faster than global giants can read it.

Explore the program →

Overview

China Isn't Just Changing How Products Are Sold

It's rebuilding the entire ecosystem around them: feeds that sell, warehouses that move at machine speed, algorithms and robots quietly taking over — colliding into a world where one livestream hour outsells a flagship store's whole month, delivery networks move 8,000 packages a second, and domestic brands have rewritten the playbook so fast that even global giants are studying their moves.

Join us for an in-depth look at that ecosystem: from the Great Wall to Beijing's AI frontier, Hangzhou's e-commerce engine and Shanghai's commerce and consumer capital — Moonshot, JD, Xiaomi, Unitree, Alibaba, Rednote, Douyin, ALDI, Hynfar eVTOL. Platform deep-dives, factory visits, retail immersions and cultural moments, hosted by Moonie Zhu and Alexander Graf — open to a global community of builders and operators.

Days / 5 Nights

Cities

10–40

Delegates

10+

Platform Deep-Dives

Who Should Join?

This is a learning and eye-opening trip — open to founders, executives, marketers, operators and investors from any industry curious about how China actually works. Whether you want to learn from China, do business with China, or grow your business in China, you belong on this expedition.

✦Founders, executives and operators from any industry — no prior China experience required
✦Anyone genuinely interested in China — its commerce, retail, technology and consumer culture
✦E-commerce, digital and performance marketing leaders exploring China's platform ecosystem
✦Brands and founders who want to do business with China — or build and grow their business in China
✦Consumer and DTC brand executives across beauty, personal care, food, fashion and lifestyle
✦Agency, martech and creator-economy leaders studying social commerce and livestream selling
✦Innovation, product and sourcing teams looking for the next playbook
✦Investors and analysts tracking the next wave of global consumer and platform innovation

Program

A 360° Experience

Five pillars designed to decode China's commerce and innovation ecosystem

Platform Deep-Dives

Campus visits and keynotes at Alibaba, Rednote, Douyin and JD — how China's commerce platforms really work.

Tech & Factory Engagements

Moonshot AI, Xiaomi's EV factory and Unitree's quadruped and humanoid robots setting global benchmarks.

Retail Immersions

ALDI, Sephora Store of the Future, HARMAY, Pop Mart, Huawei and Nanjing Road — retail from the shop floor.

Future Mobility Access

Hynfar's eVTOL flying cars plus factory tours to understand China's frontier of mobility and manufacturing.

Cultural & Network Moments

Great Wall, Temple of Heaven, curated dinners and a local resource evening with channels, investors and agencies.

One expedition, three cities

Beijing, Hangzhou & Shanghai

Beijing

Days 0 to 1

The political and AI capital. From the Great Wall and Temple of Heaven to Moonshot AI, JD's logistics engine and Xiaomi's EV factory.

Moonshot AIJDXiaomi EV

Hangzhou

Day 2

China's quiet e-commerce powerhouse. Alibaba's campus and Tmall playbook, plus Unitree's quadruped and humanoid robots.

AlibabaTmallUnitree

Shanghai

Days 3 to 5

China's commerce and consumer capital. Rednote, Douyin, retail immersions and Hynfar's eVTOL flying cars.

RednoteDouyinHynfar eVTOL

Where you stay

Three cities, three hotels

Five-star base camps in the centre of each city, booked and managed for you.

Beijing · Days 0 to 1

Four Seasons Hotel Beijing

No.48 Liangmaqiao Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing. Contemporary luxury in the heart of the diplomatic and business district.

+86 10 5695 8888

Hangzhou · Day 2

Midtown Shangri-La Hangzhou

6 Changshou Road, Kerry Centre, Gongshu District, Hangzhou. Luxury accommodation in the heart of Hangzhou's vibrant Kerry Centre.

+86 571 8733 8888

Shanghai · Days 3 to 5

The Langham Shanghai

No.99 Madang Road, Xintiandi, Shanghai. Refined elegance in the city's most stylish dining and lifestyle district.

+86 21 2330 2288

The program

6 days, 3 cities, one giant leap

Day 0 · Optional

The Great Wall & Temple of Heaven

Beijing · Four Seasons

An optional day of Ming-dynasty history and culture to open the trip before diving into China's frontier.

09:30
Great Wall of China
A breathtaking stretch of Ming-era fortifications snaking across forested mountain ridges.
12:45
Lunch at Brickyard BBQ buffet
A self-serve BBQ buffet at an eco-retreat tucked beneath the Mutianyu Great Wall — mountain views, open grills, and a relaxed way to refuel.
15:50
Temple of Heaven
A masterpiece of Ming dynasty architecture and one of Beijing's most sacred landmarks.
17:30
Back to hotel
19:30
Dinner at Duck De Chine
A Michelin Guide-listed courtyard restaurant, famous for its theatrically carved Peking duck served to the beat of a gong.
22:00
Late-night karaoke
An optional taste of one of China's favourite social rituals.

Day 1

Moonshot AI, JD & EVs

Beijing · Four Seasons

A morning kickoff with Moonie to set the tone for the week, then from Moonshot's AI frontier to JD's logistics powerhouse and Xiaomi's EV factory.

08:30
Kickoff + keynote
A welcome session to meet the group, hear Moonie set the tone for the week, and get everyone aligned before the journey begins.
09:30
Visit Moonshot
One of China's fastest-rising AI labs, built on the Kimi assistant and pushing the frontier of long-context models — closely watched as a rival to OpenAI.
11:00
Drive to lunch
13:30
Visit JD
One of China's largest e-commerce platforms, built on a self-operated logistics network reaching 99% of the country.
16:00
Visit Xiaomi EV Factory
A bold entry into electric vehicles just a few years ago — already one of the fastest-growing electric carmakers in the country.
20:00
Dinner
A relaxed group dinner to close out the Beijing chapter of the trip.

Day 2

Alibaba, Unitree & BrainCo

Hangzhou · Midtown Shangri-La

A morning flight to Hangzhou, an inside look at China's No.1 online retail giant, and stops at robotics and brain-computer interface leaders — with the night in Hangzhou.

09:00
Flight to Hangzhou
A short morning hop from Beijing to Hangzhou.
11:30
Alibaba campus tour
China's largest e-commerce and cloud group, parent of Tmall and Taobao — the biggest gateway international brands use to enter China.
13:00
Lunch at Alibaba
14:30
Visit Unitree
The world's leading maker of quadruped and humanoid robots by volume — heading toward China's first humanoid robot IPO.
16:00
Visit BrainCo
A pioneer in brain-computer interface technology — from focus-training headbands to prosthetic hands controlled by thought.
18:30
Dinner (TBD) in Hangzhou

Day 3

Rednote & Retail Experience

Shanghai

A morning return to Shanghai and Moonie's keynote on China's commerce playbook, then a deep dive into Rednote and a guided retail tour of Shanghai's most influential concept stores.

09:00
Back to Shanghai
A morning high-speed rail ride from Hangzhou to Shanghai.
11:00
Keynote · Moonie
China's Commerce Playbook: winning strategies for the next generation of retail.
12:30
Lunch at Haidilao Hotpot
China's most famous hotpot chain, known as much for its legendary service as for its bubbling communal pots.
14:00
Rednote
China's leading lifestyle and social commerce platform — the most influential space where brands build reputation.
16:00
Retail experience guided by Moonie
Aldi, Sephora Store of the Future, Nanjing Road, Pop Mart, Huawei and HARMAY, plus free time for shopping.
19:00
Dinner at Jin Xuan
A Michelin one-star Cantonese restaurant on the 53rd floor of The Ritz-Carlton Shanghai — views over the Bund and skyline.
22:00
Drinks at KEV or Flair (optional)
Two of Shanghai's top nightlife spots.

Day 4

Douyin & Live Commerce

Shanghai

A deep dive into Douyin, followed by a TP and live-streaming agency tour, and an evening of local resource engagement.

10:00
Douyin campus tour
China's original short-video platform and parent of TikTok — now one of the country's largest e-commerce engines.
11:30
TP company tour · Buy Quickly
A full-service e-commerce agency handling store operations, digital marketing, logistics and brand consulting — a 1.5-hour deep dive.
13:00
Lunch (TBC)
15:00
Live-streaming agency tour · Rongmeme
How China's livestream sales teams script, shoot and sell products to millions of viewers in real time.
18:00
Dinner (TBD)

Day 5

Hynfar eVTOL & Closing

Shanghai

A morning at China's flying-car frontier with Hynfar, then lunch, closing keynotes from Alex and Moonie, and a farewell celebration.

09:30
Hynfar eVTOL visit
Arrive at Hynfar and spend two hours inside one of China's rising eVTOL makers — how flying cars move from prototype to certification, the policy push behind China's low-altitude economy, and what it means for mobility.
12:00
Lunch at Kirin Hyatt
A premium high-altitude buffet at the Hyatt on the Bund with panoramic views of the Huangpu River.
14:00
Alex's closing keynote · 30 min
Alexander Graf ties the week together — turning China's commerce, platform and mobility lessons into concrete strategic takeaways for the European market.
14:30
Moonie's closing keynote · 30 min
Moonie Zhu closes the expedition — reflecting on the week's visits and the mindset needed to turn China's playbook into action at home.
15:00
Wrap up and closing
17:00
Closing drink at VUE Bar
A rooftop bar atop the Hyatt on the Bund with one of Shanghai's most iconic 360-degree views.

Please note that this is a preliminary program plan and is subject to changes.

Before You Fly

Pre-departure checklist

A few things to sort out before you board — so the moment you land, the expedition is the only thing on your mind.

Fill out your arrival card online

China now requires an online arrival card before you land. Fill it in advance at s.nia.gov.cn — saves time at immigration.

Set up WeChat before you fly

All group communication runs over WeChat. Install it, get your account working, and join the expedition group before departure.

Check your power bank for the CCC mark

Required on domestic China flights since June 2025. No CCC mark = confiscated. CCC-marked replacements are sold airside at every major airport.

Buy & activate your Airalo eSIM

Activate before you board. Your VPN-friendly lifeline for Google, WhatsApp and LinkedIn once you land.

Set up WeChat Pay or Alipay

Cash is rare in China. Link your Visa or Mastercard inside WeChat Pay or Alipay before you fly. Scan a QR, confirm, done.

Bring your curiosity

This is a learning expedition — not a sightseeing trip. Come with an open mind and be ready to unlearn what you think you know about China.

Security & Safety Basics

Keep your data off the network.

Always surf on your eSIM

Skips the Great Firewall. Google, WhatsApp and LinkedIn keep working.

Avoid public Wi-Fi

Hotel, café, airport: assume it is monitored. Stick to your eSIM data.

VPN on, before you land

Most VPN sites are blocked inside China. Install and test it at home.

No work laptop in plain view

Use a clean travel device if your IT policy is sensitive. Keep it on your person.

Pro tip · Bring your business cards if you have them. Still very much a thing in China — exchanged on first meeting, treated with respect. Pack more than you think you'll need.

Investment

Cost & Dates

All-inclusive per-person rates — program, hospitality and in-country logistics

All-Inclusive · Per Person · excl. VAT

Early Bird Price
€7,990
per person excl. VAT — for registrations received by 15 Nov 2026
Early Bird Price for Groups
€7,191
per person excl. VAT — 10% discount, from 2 people from the same company, for registrations received by 15 Nov 2026
Regular Price
€8,990
per person excl. VAT
Regular Price for Groups
€8,091
per person excl. VAT — 10% discount, from 2 people from the same company

✓All program visits and keynotes
✓Food & beverages
✓1 hotel room for your stay
✓Travel costs during the program
✗Flight to and from China

Date

11–16 April 2027

Final dates to be confirmed together with the group.

⚡ Built for a global audience

Open to 10–40 delegates from corporates, scale-ups, agencies and investment teams. Led by Moonie Zhu and Alexander Graf, with full on-the-ground support and operations by eTOC Group throughout the trip.

Your moderators

Not guides. A bridge and a translator.

Two perspectives, one mission. A native China expert who has spent half her life in each culture, paired with one of Europe's sharpest voices on commerce.

01 · Moderator — the bridge

Moonie Zhu

China future-retail expert · CN / DE / EN

Moonie has spent half her life in China and half in Germany, giving her a rare, firsthand understanding of both cultures and business environments — a true bridge between East and West.

Global keynote speaker, bestselling author, Top 10 LinkedIn Voice for China, serial entrepreneur and investor — widely recognized as an expert in China's future retail, digitalization, innovation and technology landscape.

As co-founder and CEO of eTOC Group, she builds the bridge in both directions: helping European companies enter and grow in China, and Chinese companies expand to the West.

Under eTOC Group, she co-founded TSDO — a tech-driven, data-fueled office whose proprietary trend intelligence and extensive supplier databank show Western brands which products will win, and where to source them.

On the ground she opens the doors, translates the context and makes sure every visit turns into something you can actually use.

02 · Moderator — the translator

Alexander Graf

E-commerce thinker · Spryker & Kassenzone · DE / EN

One of Europe's most influential voices on digital commerce — entrepreneur, investor, author of The E-Commerce Book and host of the Kassenzone podcast.

As co-founder of Spryker, he helped shape the modern composable commerce platform category, working with enterprise brands and retailers across Europe to rebuild their digital operating systems.

Together with Moonie, he co-founded Chinazone — a network where companies and their executives are brought together, connecting Chinese and European business leaders at eye level.

He translates what we see in China into European business reality: what is hype, what is structural, and what will hit your market next — always with sharp framing and daily debriefs that connect the week's visits back to your own commerce strategy.

Get in Touch

Contact

Questions about the expedition, the program, or registration? Reach out to the team behind this trip.