China's foreign trade increasingly resilient: Small commodities enter global markets

"Everything is sold out, and I'm busy restocking," said Liu Wenhai, a businessman who sells hats on a cross-border e-commerce platform. Liu's store sold over 1 million hats during one shopping season, with peak sales reaching over 100,000 hats in a single day.

Wang Bowen, a businessman from east China's Zhejiang Province who sells thermos bottles, is also eagerly anticipating the year-end sales promotion, and hoping to achieve record-breaking sales.

"During an overseas shopping season, my store's sales doubled compared to the previous week," he said. This indicates a shift in overseas consumers' preference for thermos bottles, moving from functionality to fashion, said Wang.

An Indian businessman (R) shops at the Yiwu International Trade Market in Yiwu City, east China's Zhejiang Province, Feb. 2, 2023.(Xinhua/Huang Zongzhi)

China's foreign trade continues to demonstrate its resilience following the trend of global economic integration, thanks to effective policy support and the independent innovation capabilities of enterprises.

The strong sales of diverse products, ranging from clothing, shoes, and kitchenware to home decor, have given foreign trade practitioners confidence and vitality.

Experts said that cross-border e-commerce is gradually emerging as a bridge connecting domestic and international markets, offering consumers a wider range of product choices.

This model presents new opportunities for development, leading to an increasing number of foreign trade companies, particularly small and medium-sized ones, investing more in cross-border e-commerce to establish their presence in international markets.

In recent years, the Chinese government has rolled out policies to support cross-border e-commerce, including streamlining customs procedures, optimizing tax policies, and improving cross-border payment convenience.

These measures have created a favorable environment for the industry's growth. Local governments have also played an active role by establishing cross-border e-commerce industrial parks and providing talent training.

According to data, some cross-border e-commerce platforms saw their transaction volume in the European and American markets more than double in November.

China's cross-border e-commerce has maintained rapid growth this year. From January to September, the scale of cross-border e-commerce imports and exports totaled 1.7 trillion yuan (about $239 billion), a year-on-year expansion of 14.4 percent.

In September 2022, online group discounter Pinduoduo announced plans to help China's manufacturing enterprises boost their global reach. The project has facilitated the export of high-quality manufacturing products to more than 40 countries and regions across the globe.

Pinduoduo has partnered with a number of shipping companies to establish a fast cargo ship service. According to the International Chamber of Shipping, sea transport emits only one-tenth of the carbon emissions and consumes only one-hundredth of the energy of air transport.

This collaboration helps promote the green transformation of cross-border e-commerce and minimizes its environmental impact.

Bai Ming, deputy director of the International Market Research Institute under China's Ministry of Commerce, noted that the introduction of sea transport results in lower costs in cross-border logistics and expands the range of transportable goods.

This enables the smooth global shipment of large items unsuitable for air transport, while also mitigating the risks associated with over-reliance on a single logistics channel.