I have worked in China and unfortunately live somewhere tahat is routinely dumped with Chinese products.
Brands rose up in the 19th century beacuse people could not trust what they were buying. Adulterated medicines and food were common and you took your life in your hands. A trusted brand today is hopefully a manufacturer but often a middle man but in defending their brand they often do quality control and have warranties etc. That is what you pay for whn you pay for a brand and Warn are both, only some of their winches being made in-house. Even in-house they are buying in parts
In China you have few brands. However it ges deeper than that, the Chinese communist system often has two grades for allocation of resources, one is low quality. Importers then buy the cheap stuff because the margins are attractive. If they have no brand to build then it is just a question of how much product they can shift. I have bought Chinese products that have lasted days or weeks.
There are other China based producers that are either foreign owned (often Taiwanese) or are building for OEM brands overseas. The machines and technques are better and the qulity they are aiming to produce is better.
Unfortunately it is a lottery, plenty of scammers and thieves in China who will cheat foreigners. It is customary to pay for goods ex works with no recourse once you open the shipping container months later.
If you want a product that will work and give you good service buy it from someone with a brand and reputation. Nothing wrong with a $300 winch if it is properly made to industrial standards and good design and sold by someone who stands behind what they sell.
We have those cheap Chinese winches here, my local seller will also sell a Warn sticker for $5 to go on it.