Quotas that were stiffened after Chinese clothing imports surged into Europe in 2005 are set to expire at the end of this year.

ECONOMIST: Business this week

Li Guilian runs Dayang Trands, a Chinese clothing company that is manufacturing the U.S. Olympic uniforms that the American team will be wearing at the opening ceremony in London on Friday.

FORBES: Chinese Clothing Multimillionaire Puzzled By Outrage Over U.S. Olympic Uniforms

For example, in 2011's Transformers: Dark Side of the Moon, Shia LaBeouf wears a T-shirt made by Chinese clothing maker Metersbonwe and, in one scene, a character drinks a carton of Shuhua milk made by dairy group Yili.

BBC: Chinese brands tap Hollywood in quest to go global

It has brought branded clothing to Chinese stores, but not balls or bats.

ECONOMIST: Baseball in China

Downstairs, a Chinese hipster in decidedly untraditional clothing was waiting in a beaten-up city cab, and soon we were hurtling through modern high-rise developments and shopping complexes.

WSJ: Ancient Village Rises in Shanghai; The Shock of the Old

How about the food, clothing and shelter of ordinary Chinese themselves?

BBC: China media: Wukan frustration

But Xu Lin, a Chinese entrepreneur who set up Giupel, a clothing business, in Prato more than 10 years ago, believes that economic currents are set to favour Italian companies if they innovate and wake up to new opportunities.

BBC: The Italian fashion capital being led by the Chinese

Now that those exports have helped make the Chinese richer, they have more to spend on food, clothing and shelter.

FORBES: Stronger Yuan Makes Life Harder For Chinese Exporters

Most Chinese exports to the US are still lower value manufactured goods such as clothing and shoes.

FORBES: What the US Might Do About China's "Go Slow" Approach to Revaluing the Renminbi