Abstract
<title>Abstract</title> <p>The smartphone market is intensely competitive, with country-of-origin (COO) becoming a key external factor shaping consumer choices in overseas markets. As the world's second-largest economy and a major exporter of smartphones, Chinese brands, despite holding a substantial market share in Central Asian markets such as Uzbekistan, still face challenges related to insufficient brand recognition and limited influence in the high-end market. The study examines how country-of-origin image exerts influences on purchase intention among Uzbekistan smartphone users through a questionnaire distributed to consumers in Tashkent. Structural equation modelling (SEM) was adopted for testing the proposed hypotheses. Based on the results, perceived consumer value exerts a significant impact on purchase intention. Although country-of-origin image and product image do not directly influence purchase intention, an indirect effect still exists. Product image and perceived consumer value jointly mediate the correlation between country-of-origin image and purchase intention. The study focuses on the Central Asian market, analyzing how country-of-origin image shapes consumers' willingness to purchase smartphones—an area that has received limited scholarly attention. It also broadens the multidimensional understanding of country image through a consumer-based perspective, offering insights for Chinese smartphone companies developing market strategies in Uzbekistan.</p>