Suzhou's cross-border e-commerce comprehensive pilot zone tops national ranking

The China (Suzhou) Cross-Border E-Commerce Comprehensive Pilot Zone recently retained its top-tier status in the national assessment for the second year in a row, according to an announcement by China's Ministry of Commerce.

Since its establishment in 2016, Suzhou has leveraged its robust manufacturing base and abundant foreign trade resources to develop the "cross-border e-commerce + industrial belt" model. By 2023, the city was home to nearly 400 cross-border e-commerce brands, each with more than 20 million yuan ($2.82 million) in annual exports, and over 5,400 cross-border e-commerce brands in total.

The city has created several industrial belts valued at over a billion yuan each in various sectors, including machinery, textiles and clothing, intelligent home appliances, and photovoltaic products. These efforts have provided replicable and promotable experiences for traditional foreign trade and manufacturing enterprises transitioning to the "Internet+" model.

Taihu Snow Silk, a leading brand in Suzhou's silk industry, for example, ventured into cross-border e-commerce as early as 2014. The company has built a strong brand presence through social media platforms, amassing over 300,000 followers and achieving nearly 100 million yuan in cross-border sales.