The global cross-border e-commerce industry is reshaping the international trade landscape with unstoppable momentum. According to authoritative data, China’s total cross-border e-commerce import and export volume surged past the 2.63 trillion RMB mark in 2024, posting remarkable year-on-year growth. Looking ahead, the global cross-border e-commerce market is projected to skyrocket to $4.8 trillion by 2025, with Chinese exports proudly accounting for over 69% of the total.This booming trend is fueled by a powerful trio of drivers: technological innovation, policy support, and surging market demand.
Behind the dazzling expansion in scale, the industry is quietly entering a transformative phase of “qualitative evolution.” With strategic foresight, the Chinese government has outlined a clear roadmap through pivotal policy documents like the 14th Five-Year Plan for Digital Economy Development, setting ambitious benchmarks: By 2025, 80% of cross-border e-commerce service enterprises must complete intelligent upgrades, while industrial clusters’ digitalization rate will reach a new high of 65%.
In regional coordinated development, central and western China are emerging as new growth engines for the industry, powered by robust logistics hub development and the vibrant rise of distinctive industries such as agricultural products and smart manufacturing.
Evidence from practice shows that 34 key industrial clusters nationwide have successfully pioneered an innovative “cross-border e-commerce + industrial cluster” model, establishing branded supply chain systems through strategic resource integration.
Take the home furnishing industrial cluster in an eastern coastal province as a case in point: In 2024, its cross-border e-commerce exports surged by 58% year-on-year, with orders from emerging markets accounting for over 30% of the total—a standout growth driver. This deep regional synergy and efficient collaboration has not only optimized resource allocation but more importantly, propelled the industry beyond the quagmire of “price wars” into a new era of “value creation.”
Source: Xinhua News Agency
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