The World Internet Conference Symposium on International Cross-Border E-Commerce was held in Shenzhen, Guangdong, on September 26. During the event, the Collection of Cross-Border E-Commerce Practice Cases (2025) (hereinafter referred to as the Collection) was officially released, featuring 87 outstanding cases. YANTIAN was recognised as the only port enterprise in China to be selected for two consecutive years.👍👍👍

The selected cases encompass a wide range of participants, including government agencies, universities, research institutions, financial organisations, international bodies, industry associations, and enterprises. YANTIAN's case is featured under the section "03 Logistics and Distribution | Building Smart Logistics and Optimising Local Services." This section highlights innovative practices in areas such as strengthening international connectivity for cross-border e-commerce, developing intelligent and networked logistics systems, and advancing the digital and intelligent transformation of supply chains.

Li Mingtao, Chief Expert at the China International E–Commerce Center, remarked that YANTIAN has established a synergistic "Port + E-commerce + Logistics" mechanism by integrating port operations, e-commerce platforms, and logistics enterprises. This innovative model has effectively tackled key challenges such as limited shipping capacity and customs clearance delays, providing a stable and efficient maritime channel for cross-border e-commerce. It underscores the strategic value of infrastructure hubs within the global logistics network and empowers the high-quality growth of China's cross-border e-commerce industry.

In 2024, China's cross-border e-commerce imports and exports totalled CNY2.71 trillion, representing a 14% year-on-year increase. Shenzhen alone accounted for CNY372 billion, ranking first nationwide for the third consecutive year. As the saying goes, "To see global cross-border e-commerce, look to China; to see China's cross-border e-commerce, look to Shenzhen.” Renowned as the “Capital of Cross-Border E-Commerce,” Shenzhen continues to set the benchmark for both scale and excellence.

Timeliness is the lifeblood of cross-border e-commerce. As a key hub in the global supply chain, YANTIAN handles over a third of Guangdong Province's international trade volume and over a quarter of China's exports to the US. Currently, YANTIAN, leveraging its extensive shipping network and aligning with the growth of international cross-border e-commerce markets, has partnered with shipping companies to offer high-frequency, extensive, faster, and high-efficiency services.

🌟It boasts the most extensive services to Europe and US in South China, with an average of 10 services daily, complemented by over 10 cross-border e-commerce express services.
🌟Its services cover numerous destinations worldwide, offering approximately 100 weekly services globally.
🌟As the last-port-of-call for most services from China, it ensures the quickest delivery of cargoes to their destination ports (12.5 days to the USW, 11 days to Australia).
🌟It has efficient operational capabilities and a favourable customs clearance environment.

In recent years, the vigorous growth of Shenzhen's cross-border e-commerce sector has served as a strong catalyst for the rapid rise of inland cross-border e-commerce. Numerous inland industrial clusters and manufacturing enterprises engaged in both industry and commerce possess tremendous export potential. Building efficient and reliable logistics channels is therefore essential to facilitating the smooth global movement of cross-border e-commerce cargoes.

As one of South China's preferred ports for cross-border e-commerce, YANTIAN has remained closely aligned with market demand, continuously delivering high-quality port services tailored to the sector's needs. In recent years, YANTIAN has actively expanded its rail-sea service network, reflecting the growing ambition of inland enterprises to engage in cross-border e-commerce. By effectively integrating port operations, railway links, and inland logistics hubs while strengthening maritime shipping resources, YANTIAN has created favourable conditions for inland cross-border e-commerce—enabling efficient cargo consolidation and seamless connection to global shipping services. At the same time, it continues to promote mutual growth and shared prosperity among cross-border e-commerce businesses across inland China, Shenzhen, and Hong Kong.

Regional synergy: Reducing logistics costs
YANTIAN in Shenzhen and Kwai Tsing Port in Hong Kong have joined hands to strengthen connectivity across domestic and international markets. By leveraging their complementary network advantages, the Chengdu–Shenzhen–Hong Kong and Chongqing–Shenzhen–Hong Kong scheduled rail-sea services have fostered more balanced regional development. Compared with traditional trucking, these dedicated services cut overall operating costs by over 50%, streamline transit procedures, and significantly enhance logistics efficiency and global competitiveness.

Efficiency revolution: Ensuring high-performance logistics
With the Chengdu–Shenzhen–Hong Kong and Chongqing–Shenzhen–Hong Kong scheduled rail-sea services, YANTIAN provides stable and reliable transport schedules, reducing the transit time to YANTIAN from six and five days to just two days. Shipments can reach Hong Kong's Kwai Tsing Port within three days, enabling seamless connectivity and shared growth across inland China, Shenzhen, and Hong Kong.

Channel upgrades: Enhancing enterprise agility
YANTIAN continues to expand its global shipping network while accelerating the development of a multimodal transport system. Building on the success of the innovative Chengdu–Shenzhen–Hong Kong and Chongqing–Shenzhen–Hong Kong scheduled rail-sea services, the port is further leveraging its rail-sea intermodal capabilities to enable import and export enterprises to remain flexible and resilient in an increasingly complex and dynamic trade environment.

In June 2025, the General Office of the CPC Central Committee and the General Office of the State Council jointly issued the Opinions on Deepening Reform and Expanding Opening-Up Through the Shenzhen Comprehensive Reform Pilot. Item 7 of Article IV—Building a New Institutional Framework for a Higher-Level Open Economy—explicitly encourages YANTIAN to take the lead in exploring innovations in customs facilitation and fuel bunkering settlements. Empowered by policy support and guided by its pioneering mandate, YANTIAN once again fulfills its role as a testing ground for reform and innovation, driving progress and setting benchmarks for China's open economy.

Lawrence Shum, Managing Director of Hutchison Ports YANTIAN, emphasised that Shenzhen provides a highly favourable ecosystem for the e-commerce industry and has taken the lead in piloting initiatives to facilitate cross-border e-commerce customs clearance, offering valuable insights for the rest of China. As a global super-hub port, Hong Kong brings unique strategic advantages. YANTIAN will continue to leverage its own strengths while further maximizing the complementary benefits of the Kwai Tsing–YANTIAN Connect. By jointly developing cross-border e-commerce logistics channels and tapping into Shenzhen–Hong Kong cooperation, it aims to unlock the full potential of the Greater Bay Area. Collaborating closely with industry partners, YANTIAN seeks to help Chinese brands reach the world through cross-border e-commerce and jointly shape a new future for the sector's growth.