China's parcel delivery sector has broken another record, handling more than 150 billion parcels as of November 17 this year and surpassing the total volume for last year. The smooth delivery of hundreds of billions of parcels reflects the vigor and vitality of China's consumer market, which provides strong support for economic growth momentum in the fourth quarter, analysts said. The astronomical figure means that every Chinese citizen receives more than 100 parcels on average a year – a new high. It's also a milestone in China's parcel delivery sector, which in 2014 handled over 10 billion parcels, according to data released by the State Post Bureau. Chinese e-commerce platforms and logistics firms are actively adopting advanced technologies such as unmanned vehicles and drones, and intelligent sorting to increase efficiency and reduce costs.
The development of the country's courier delivery sector is getting more balanced too, and the market share of parcels delivered in the central and western regions has continued to expand. Specialty products from regions such as Xinjiang and Qinghai are being transported efficiently to households across the country, creating a unified national market, said the State Post Bureau. “The logistics industry is considered an artery and part of the basic infrastructure of a country's economy. The sustained growth of the number of parcels delivered across the country embodies the stable and healthy development of the Chinese economy,” Zhang Yi, CEO of the iiMedia Research Institute, told the Global Times. According to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), China's retail sales rose 4.8% year-on-year in October, up from a 3.2% increase in September, as sales of household appliances, furniture and automobiles were robust thanks to the national trade-in program.
Driven by strong overseas demand, China's international delivery services are also expanding. The 100,000th China-Europe freight train departed from Chongqing, achieving a milestone in the development of the service that facilitates economic and trade exchanges between China and Europe. The international logistics system continues to improve, with Chinese logistics firms accelerating the construction of overseas distribution centers and warehouses and an expanding fleet of dedicated cargo planes, Chen Kai, deputy head of the State Post Bureau, said at a recent conference in Beijing. The development of international delivery services actively contributes to Chinese industries going global, while bringing more choices for global consumers, Cao said, as reported by the Global Times.
The China Daily noted that the development of the parcel delivery sector is closely tied to the growth of China’s booming e-commerce market, which continues to drive demand for faster and more efficient delivery services. “On the one hand, China’s express delivery industry ensures the well-being of its residents, while on the other, it stimulates production,” said Zhao Guojun, Director of the Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications’ Postal Development Research Center. At its peak day this year, the parcel delivery sector processed more than 729 million parcels, and monthly shipment volumes have exceeded 13 billion, while business revenue has surpassed CNY100 billion each month, according to the State Post Bureau.
