China's express delivery: Speed and efficiency of a nation in motion

China's express delivery industry has ranked No. 1 in the world for 11 consecutive years. During this year's National Day and Mid-Autumn Festival holiday in early October, an average daily volume of over 900 million parcels were processed across the country.

The dynamism and vibrant growth of China's delivery and logistics sector epitomizes the success stories of the nation's governance.

Express at your doorstep

In 2024 alone, the total number of parcels reached a record 175 billion—meaning, on average, every Chinese person received 124 deliveries last year. The country is now home to around 16,000 courier companies, with annual revenue surpassing 1 trillion yuan for four years in a row, and two of the companies entering the Fortune Global 500.

Behind this remarkable growth lies China's booming online consumption and its vast, integrated transportation network: online retail sales have exceeded 13 trillion yuan, supported by more than 500,000 delivery outlets that blanket the entire nation. Same-day delivery within major city clusters and next-day delivery between key cities have become the norm—putting China at the forefront of global logistics efficiency.

Even in rural areas, 95 percent of villages now have access to integrated courier and logistics service stations. Express delivery has reached places once thought impossible—like Tuiwa village, one of the highest villages in the world with an altitude of 5,070 meters, and Shenxianwan, a frontier outpost perched at 5,380 meters. Both now receive regular parcel deliveries.

Innovation behind the parcels

In 2023, China accounted for nearly 40 percent of all global patent applications in express delivery, ranking first worldwide. The industry has fused deeply with digital technology—big data and AI algorithms now forecast demand, optimize routes, and manage inventories.

By the end of 2024, over 6,000 unmanned delivery vehicles had entered large-scale commercial operation, and nearly three million parcels had been delivered by drones. In JD.com's (China's e-commerce giant) fully automated "Asia No. 1" warehouse, smart systems can scan 200 labels, shelve 20,000 items, and take 320,000 photos in just one minute.

In Jiangsu Province, the local specialty hairy crabs now fly across the Yangtze River by drone, reaching Shanghai in just 15 minutes—two and a half hours faster than by road.

Benefiting the society: environment, jobs, urban-rural prosperity

Green growth: China's express delivery industry has embraced green development, creating an eco-logistics system from order to delivery. By the end of 2024, electronic waybills had achieved near full coverage in the industry, 200 million boxes were reused, and over 70,000 clean-energy vehicles and widespread solar facilities powered operations.

Job creation: More than 3.6 million people now work full-time in China's express delivery industry. Governments at all levels have introduced policies to protect couriers' rights—from wages to working hours and insurance. In 2024 alone, over 450,000 couriers received up-skill training. Local postal authorities and workers' unions, partnering with the delivery companies, have set up rest stations and childcare programs to enhance couriers' sense of belonging. By 2025, 65 individuals and teams had earned national honors, and several outstanding couriers were elected people's congress deputies, giving the industry's workforce a stronger public voice.

Linking urban and rural areas: Through delivery subsidies for farm products and increased inputs in cold-chain logistics, a new model is well in place to connect rural e-commerce, specialty farm products and local farmers via express delivery. This approach helps quality products move fast from villages to cities, bringing rural goods to urban tables. Nearly 150 flagship projects, each handling over 10 million parcels annually, now serve as models of "express delivery empowering modern agriculture," driving both rural revitalization and urban-rural prosperity.

China's express delivery industry, with its staggering numbers and relentless innovation, is more than just a logistical marvel. It is a microcosm of the nation's high-quality development, proving that progress is measured not only in parcels delivered but in opportunities created, distances bridged, and a future being built, one doorstep at a time.

(The author is an observer of international affairs.)