Nation handles over 100b parcels this year

China's parcel delivery industry achieved a remarkable milestone on Tuesday, with the handling of the 100-billionth parcel this year.

The landmark figure, which was achieved 71 days earlier than last year, underscores the sector's robust development and highlights the broader resilience and vitality of China's economy, said the State Post Bureau of China.

This marks the fourth consecutive year that China's annual parcel volume has surpassed 100 billion. The continued expansion of the sector demonstrates its crucial role in supporting economic activity and consumer demand, further showcasing the strength and adaptability of China's logistics infrastructure.

The 100-billionth package of this year was a high-speed blender, transported by Cainiao Express, a major logistics service provider in China, and collected at an e-commerce warehouse in Urumqi, Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region. The package will be transported from Urumqi to a rural family in the Changji Hui autonomous prefecture in Xinjiang, with its delivery expected on Wednesday.

The express delivery industry has seen rapid growth this year, with both volume and quality reaching new heights. The average monthly business volume has exceeded 13 billion packages, and monthly revenue has surpassed 100 billion yuan ($14 billion), both reaching record highs, the bureau said.

This translates to around 5,000 parcels being handled every second and approximately 444 million packages being transported across the country each day.

"As China's economy recovers and consumer demand remains strong, the express delivery industry has been a key player in supporting online economic growth and facilitating the flow of goods, thanks to policies aimed at boosting domestic demand and stabilizing growth," said Lin Hu, director of the bureau's Market Regulation Department.

"The industry is also exploring new areas such as in-factory deliveries and reverse logistics, which includes e-commerce returns and exchanges, seeking new growth opportunities and driving high-quality development," Lin added.

A significant highlight of this growth is the improvement in the rural logistics system. With the onset of summer, seasonal fruits from various regions, including cherries from Kashgar in Xinjiang, grapes from Jinhua in Zhejiang province, and jackfruit from Yangjiang in Guangdong province, have been hitting the market. Delivery companies have enhanced packaging designs and increased cold chain transportation to efficiently bring these fresh fruits and other local specialties into households across the country.

This year also marks the 10th anniversary of the national campaign to improve parcel delivery services in rural areas. Over the past decade, this initiative has significantly expanded postal and delivery networks into rural regions, spurring rural development and vitalization.

Currently, China has established over 1,200 county-level delivery service centers and more than 300,000 village-level parcel delivery stations. This expanding network is crucial in reducing the cost of transporting agricultural products and improving distribution efficiency.

Wang Yuehan, a researcher at the bureau's Development and Research Center, said: "Previously, buying items in rural areas was challenging, but now nearly anything you need can be easily obtained. The express delivery industry has significantly transformed rural shopping."