China's express delivery sector has reached a new milestone, handling a record 180 billion shipments so far in 2025, up from over 150 billion last year and more than 120 billion in 2023. This reflects the strong momentum of the country's economy.

This drone photo taken on Nov. 11, 2025 shows staff members working at an automated parcel sorting line of a branch of China Post in Suixian county, central China's Henan Province. (Photo by Xu Zeyuan/Xinhua)

The 180 billionth parcel was delivered through an unmanned delivery system. When Li, a resident of Shenzhen in south China's Guangdong Province, ordered a smart learning device, the item was sorted and dispatched from a Shenzhen-based smart warehouse owned by JD Logistics, the delivery arm of China's leading online shopping platform JD.com. Upon reaching the final delivery station, an autonomous delivery vehicle handled the transfer before a courier completed the doorstep drop-off, achieving same-day delivery.

Robots shuttle back and forth between shelves at smart warehouses. AI recognition systems enhance sorting efficiency at intelligent sorting centers. And at delivery stations, autonomous delivery vehicles work alongside couriers to reduce last-mile delivery times.

Across China, more than 1,300 automated sorting centers are in operation, thousands of unmanned vehicles are in service, and over 3 million parcels have been delivered by drones. By integrating logistics parks and delivery networks with next-generation information technology, China has built a world-leading intelligent logistics network.

Scientific and technological innovation has become a key driver, injecting lasting vitality into the express delivery market, said Liu Jiang, director of strategic planning research at the State Post Bureau's Development and Research Center. Since the beginning of this year, the sector has continued to strengthen its innovation capacity, significantly reducing costs while improving quality and efficiency, Liu noted.

During this year's "Double 11" shopping festival, trade-in programs remained popular. Wang, a resident of Linyi in east China's Shandong Province, used the program to purchase a new furniture set. The courier arrived on time for delivery and installation, completing the entire process within an hour.

Thanks to expanded trade-in policies for consumer goods, replacement demand has been unleashed, driving significant growth in express delivery volume. In the first 10 months of this year, the bulky goods business of Chinese logistics giant SF Express, covering categories such as home furnishings and appliances, grew around 30 percent year on year.

The express delivery sector has also deepened integration with commerce, tourism, culture, sports and health. In the first 10 months of this year, express delivery services supported a 6.3 percent increase in online retail sales of physical goods.

Macroeconomic policies have injected strong momentum into the sector's sustained expansion, Liu said. Since the start of the year, China has reinforced policies to expand domestic demand and promote consumption, with the postal and express delivery industry's integrated service system becoming a vital link connecting production and consumption.

The acceleration of express delivery services in rural areas has unlocked rural consumption potential. In the first 10 months of this year, leading express delivery company ZTO Express handled over 12.9 billion rural parcels, with service coverage exceeding 96 percent of townships and towns.

Supported by a strengthened express delivery network, products from central and western regions are reaching consumer markets more efficiently.

Since the beginning of the year, China's rural postal and express delivery system has undergone further improvements, with the proportion of express delivery volume in central and western regions continuing to increase. In the first 10 months, express delivery volume in provincial-level regions, including Guizhou, Shaanxi, Ningxia and Xinjiang, grew more than 30 percent from the same period last year.