"I bought Mi phones for my children, and our staff use Lenovo computers at the Red Dot design center," Peter Zec, founder and CEO of the Red Dot Design Award, said on Saturday.

Zec, who visits China frequently, is here to attend the opening ceremony the 2019 Xiamen Design Week held in the coastal city of East China's Fujian province.

Starting as a country mainly focused on production lines, China has now realized the importance of design, Zec said, noting that many Chinese companies are now showing worldwide competitiveness in the design industry.

"The role of China design is getting more and more important," he noted, adding that he is impressed by many Chinese companies with fantastic design philosophy and products.

According to Zec, the German design consultant, as a growing number of Chinese products stand out in global design awards like the Red Dot, the world is paying more attention to its fast-emerging design market.

As one of the world's most recognized design awards, the Red Dot traces its origin back to 1955. Known as the "Oscar" in the design industry, each year it attracts thousands of designers, design studios and companies from dozens of countries and regions.

In 2015, Red Dot and China's Xiamen Culture Media Group co-launched an international design award named "Contemporary Good Design."

By establishing and contending in such international awards, Chinese designers could "see where they stand" from a global perspective, said Zec. "That is very important."

On the other hand, such awards also offer platforms for international design companies to enter the Chinese market, he added.

"Design is a global thing," Zec said, noting that more and more Chinese companies have come to the forefront in "fighting for" international awards like the Red Dot.

"China is the No.1 nation in terms of the Red-Dot entries," he said, noting that shows the country's designers are making efforts to get involved in the global design industry.

There is still a lot of catch-up work to do for Chinese companies, Zec said. "But I'm confident about the future of China design."

In regards to the future of China's design, Zec said innovation, originality and creativity have always been the essential qualities.

"It is not just a device for China. It's a device for any design company worldwide," he said.