Despite being a manufacturing world power, China remains a weak country in branding, according to a report by Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS), which called for urgent action to build China's domestic brands.

Based on an examination of over 1,000 Chinese listed and non-listed enterprises, the report released a Chinese brand competitiveness index （CBI）. The index covered 16 industries including finance, property, automobile, IT, clothes, retailers and others. Top performing enterprises and brands from each industry are listed.

The index is the first official academic assessment of China's brands.

"Frankly, what most Chinese enterprises earned in these years is sweat money," Zhang Shixian, a researcher with the Institute of Industrial Economics of CASS and director of the research team, told China Daily.

"Why is it hard for Chinese enterprises to expand international market? Why a product with equal quality of foreign products can’t be sold at an equal price? It is because our brands are not accepted overseas," Zhang said.

Although the research mainly served an academic purpose, his team also tried to find ways to boost internal brand value.

"Chinese companies should focus on their internal strengths, such as their R&D, product design, after-sale service and their ability to overcome the boundary of cultures to develop their brand competitiveness," Zhang said.

The index examines Chinese brands' performance in four key categories: financial performance, market competency, development potential and recognition of the consumers.