China express parcel volume expected to hit 142.5 billion in 2024

Beijing: China’s courier business volume and revenue could reach 142.5 billion parcels and 1.3 trillion yuan (US$182.8 billion) in 2024, rising around 8 percent year-on-year, according to State Post Bureau (SPB) head Zhao Chongjiu.

According to a report from People’s Daily, the sector achieved remarkable milestones last year with a significant increase in both the number of parcels, reaching a record-breaking 132 billion, and the revenue generated, amounting to 1.2 trillion yuan. These figures reflect a notable growth of 19.5 and 14.5 percent respectively.

China aims to further improve express delivery infrastructure. Plans for 2024 include boosting hub capacity, advancing major postal projects, encouraging rail parcel delivery, and promoting multimodal transport.

Network coverage will also expand. Integrated village-level logistics stations will assist rural revitalization. Courier firms will be encouraged to establish factory service stations for demonstration projects in smart warehousing and supply chain management.

Internationally, China will upgrade international delivery centres, open more air routes and expand carrier fleets. It will accelerate overseas distribution hub, network and warehouse construction to continuously improve global reach.

“Robust infrastructure and delivery underpin industry connectivity. Changing domestic and overseas consumption patterns provide opportunities. New e-commerce models drive growth,” Zhao said.

Recent improvements include more high-capacity vehicles, new international air routes, and expanded border area access, with all 3,356 villages covered. In 2023, China built 1,267 county delivery centres and 289,000 village logistics stations, reaching 70% of villages.

Over 1,900 manufacturer-courier collaborations and 312 overseas hubs further growth. “Last year, rural postal and express systems strengthened supply chain serving ability. International circulation improved,” Zhao added.

Accelerating high-quality development is the next phase. Major freight airports like Ezhou Huahu, with 45 domestic and 10 international routes, showcase the industry’s progress. With express volumes still rising, infrastructure and innovation aim to meet demand.

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