Logistics connects production on one end and consumption on the other, serving as a crucial link in smoothing the national economic cycle.

In the first four months, the national total social logistics volume reached 107.6 trillion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 4.4%, 0.5 percentage points higher than the growth rate in the first quarter; the China Logistics Prosperity Index in May stood at 51.5%... Since the beginning of this year, China's logistics operation has generally maintained a recovery trend. Social logistics demand has staged a restorative rebound, logistics service supply is relatively sufficient, the industry is operating in a prosperous range, and major operating indicators have kept growing.

With the sustained recovery and improvement of the national economy, logistics enterprises have boosted confidence, endogenous momentum has continued to strengthen, and the foundation for the sound development of logistics operation has been further consolidated, providing strong support for stabilizing the economy, expanding domestic demand, and promoting consumption.

Logistics operation accelerates recovery and growth, with steady expansion of supply scale

Smart TVs delivered to high-altitude villages. At 8 p.m. on May 31st, shortly after the full launch of the "618" promotion campaign, Sideduojia from Tuiwa Village, Dalong Town, Lhoka County, Shannan City, Tibet, received a smart LCD TV delivered by JD Logistics. This year, JD Logistics has pre-positioned pre-sold products in over 300 cities and thousands of stations, enabling consumers to receive their purchases in as fast as minutes after payment.

Logistics customs clearance has become increasingly smooth. At Qianwan Port in Qingdao, Shandong, 17 tons of polyester dyed knitted fabrics imported by Yantai Enyi Garment Co., Ltd. were unloaded from the ship and immediately transported to the factory for production. A relevant person in charge of a Qingdao logistics company acting as the agent for this batch of goods stated that Qingdao Customs has launched a new supervision model of "advance machine inspection + direct pickup at the ship's side", which reduces two container hoisting and two moving processes, saves customs clearance time, and lowers logistics costs.

The daily average volume of express delivery continues to rise, and shipping vessels shuttle back and forth... Since the beginning of this year, transportation and logistics operation has accelerated recovery and growth, and a flowing China has released more vitality.

Data shows that as of May 31st, the number of express delivery items in China has reached 50 billion this year, 27 days earlier than last year; in the first four months, China completed 16.53 billion tons of commercial freight volume, a year-on-year increase of 7.5%; national ports completed 5.28 billion tons of cargo throughput, a year-on-year increase of 7.6%.

With the further release of market vitality, logistics has become more active, the total revenue of the logistics industry has recovered at an accelerated pace, and the scale of logistics supply has steadily expanded. According to the China Federation of Logistics and Purchasing, in the first four months, the total revenue of the logistics industry increased by 7.5%, 0.8 percentage points higher than the first quarter. Among them, transportation and warehousing services and the express delivery sector made significant contributions, driving the total revenue growth of the logistics industry by more than 5 percentage points.

The business income of logistics enterprises has grown at an accelerated rate. In the first four months, the business income of key logistics enterprises increased by nearly 20% year-on-year, 5 percentage points higher than the first quarter, with the growth rate rising for two consecutive months. Postal express and warehousing logistics enterprises maintained a good growth momentum in income, while railway and road transportation enterprises achieved steady growth.

The foundation for the recovery of industrial product logistics demand is solid. In the first four months, the total logistics volume of industrial products increased by 3.6% year-on-year, 0.6 percentage points higher than the first quarter. Among them, it grew by 5.6% in April, 1.7 percentage points faster than in March. In April, equipment manufacturing drove the growth rate of total industrial product logistics volume up by 1.3 percentage points. Specifically, the total logistics volume of automobile manufacturing and electrical machinery and equipment manufacturing increased by 44.6% and 17.3% respectively.

The total logistics volume of units and residents has recovered well. In the first four months, the total logistics volume of goods for units and residents increased by 9.0% year-on-year, 3.1 percentage points higher than the first quarter. Among them, the online retail sales of physical goods and the retail sales of physical stores both increased by more than 10% year-on-year, with growth rates higher than those in the first quarter. New scenarios and models such as instant logistics have become bright spots.

"Policies to expand domestic demand have been successively implemented and taken effect, with online and offline integration of consumption scenarios. Instant logistics connects surrounding catering stores, community supermarkets, flower shops, pharmacies, etc., driving further prosperity of community consumption," said Zhou Zhicheng, Director of the Research Office of the China Federation of Logistics and Purchasing and Deputy Secretary-General of the China Logistics Society.

Promote digital transformation and expand commercial application scenarios of smart logistics

The Beijing-Xiong'an Expressway (Beijing section) is fully covered with China Mobile's 5G private network, and the Phase IV fully automated terminal project of Nansha Port Area in Guangzhou Port is being accelerated... Since the beginning of this year, China has continued to strengthen the construction of a transportation power, with significant acceleration in transportation science and technology innovation and in-depth advancement of green and low-carbon transformation. In particular, the postal and express delivery industry has made efforts in digitalization and greenization to improve operational efficiency.

Science and technology are a powerful driving force for the high-quality development of the logistics industry. A relevant person in charge of the Ministry of Transport stated that efforts will be made to further strengthen the construction of strategic transportation science and technology forces and scientific and technological infrastructure, accelerate the development of smart transportation, and continuously create new driving forces and advantages for transportation development.

Walking into the Pacific Terminal in Tianjin Dongjiang Port Area, ships are undergoing loading and unloading operations. At the monitoring and command center of Tianjin Dongjiang Customs, customs officers conduct real-time supervision over scenarios such as ship berthing, loading and unloading operations, and yard stacking through the port smart management and control system.

"With the smart management and control system, the business of domestic and foreign trade transportation on the same ship has become increasingly convenient. Not only has the utilization efficiency of container space on feeder ships been improved, but our terminal has also added more than 10 domestic trade routes, making the integrated development of domestic and foreign trade at the port more dynamic," said Sun Yan, Deputy Manager of the Operations Department of Tianjin Port Pacific International Container Terminal.

The "14th Five-Year Plan for the Development of Modern Logistics" issued last year requires accelerating the digital transformation of logistics. Modern information technology should be used to promote the online and digitalization of logistics elements, develop diversified application scenarios, and realize the online-offline linkage of logistics resources.

Tianjin Customs, in conjunction with Tianjin Port Group, has built a port "smart management and control" system, injecting scientific and technological strength into promoting the integrated development of domestic and foreign trade in the port area. Currently, Dongjiang Port Area has 17 domestic and foreign trade container routes, with a total of more than 1,200 domestic trade ship calls and a container volume of over 1.6 million TEUs.

Data from the China Federation of Logistics and Purchasing shows that in the first four months, the total import logistics volume increased by 11.3% year-on-year, and by 9.4% in April alone.

"With the wide application of new technologies such as the Internet, big data, cloud computing, and the Internet of Things in the logistics field, new formats and models have provided strong support for the steady recovery of logistics operation," Zhou Zhicheng said. Efforts should be made to accelerate the digital transformation of logistics, encourage platform enterprises to develop and open cloud platforms and cloud services for small, medium, and micro logistics enterprises, innovate the logistics industry ecology, and further expand commercial application scenarios of smart logistics.

Improve the business environment, accelerate scientific and technological innovation, and ensure the safety and stability of the industrial chain and supply chain

"Cross-border shopping" packages enter CT intelligent equipment through sorting lines to complete customs clearance operations quickly and in an orderly manner; express transport vehicles loaded with goods are ready to go, rushing to various places... Shenzhen International Express Operation Center presents a busy scene.

"Express packages have high requirements for timeliness. Accelerating the circulation speed and reducing logistics costs are the core competitiveness of enterprises. Benefiting from the continuous innovation of relevant departments, the import and export volume of SF Express's cross-border e-commerce increased by nearly 50% year-on-year in the first quarter of this year," said a relevant person in charge of the International E-commerce Express Business Department of SF Express Group.

With the continuous strengthening of policy support and guidance, the logistics development support system has been continuously improved, and the institutional environment has been further optimized, playing an important role in deepening the supply-side structural reform and enhancing the competitiveness and security of the industrial chain and supply chain.

Experts said that currently, logistics enterprises have an optimistic expectation, and logistics operation is recovering well. Efforts should be made to further improve the business environment, accelerate scientific and technological innovation, promote the continuous stable and sound development of logistics operation, and ensure the safety and stability of the industrial chain and supply chain.

We should deepen reform and opening up, accelerate the development of cross-border direct transportation and "door-to-door" logistics. Focusing on the actual needs of cross-border e-commerce and the integration of domestic and foreign trade, we will improve the international logistics service network and enhance operational efficiency.

Fabric inspection, sample making, cutting, sewing... Inside Beijing Descente Co., Ltd., swimsuits and ski suits are successfully rolled off the production line and packaged for export. Beijing Customs has adopted service measures such as intelligent review to make import and export business more convenient.

Enterprises should strengthen their internal capabilities, deepen "quality improvement, efficiency enhancement, and cost reduction", and promote the transformation of the development model of logistics enterprises. By growing together with customers and integrating deeply with industries, we will promote the reduction of social logistics costs at a deeper level and in a wider range.

Promote integrated development. In industrial fields with long industrial chains and many supporting links such as automobiles, home appliances, electronics, medicine, and clothing, guide enterprises to increase investment, improve the application level of modern information technologies such as the Internet and big data, and ensure the smooth circulation of the industrial chain and supply chain.

Convenient and smooth transportation and logistics conditions can effectively reduce transportation costs, promote the flow and agglomeration of various production factors such as talents, capital, and technology, stimulate market vitality, and provide strong support for economic and social development. Seizing opportunities and forging ahead, logistics operation will continue to maintain steady progress, quality improvement, and efficiency enhancement, making greater contributions to smoothing the national economic cycle and promoting high-quality development.

People's Daily (June 9, 2023, Edition 18)