BEIJING, Dec. 13 -- The total number of express parcels processed in China surged to more than 70 million Friday, as Chinese customers scrambled for online bargains.

Branches of China Post and various express parcel firms in China have processed a combined 70.51 million express packages, an increase of more than 40 percent from the same day the previous year, Saturday figures from the State Post Bureau revealed.

The figure is also more than twice the daily average of 33.09 million registered so far this year, said the bureau.

Chinese e-commerce firms in recent years have promoted Dec. 12, or "double 12," as an online shopping event, much like Cyber Monday, the Monday after Thanksgiving in the United States. Nov. 11, or "Singles' Day," has become China's busiest online shopping day.