Attendees of the dialogue on GMS Cross-border E-commerce Cooperation Platform held in Yunnan province, China earlier this month discussed how to develop cross-border e-commerce businesses of ASEAN countries. More than 100 representatives from e-commerce companies and associations from the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) comprising Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam as well as Yunnan Province and Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region in China participated with this event. Ray Li, vice president of SF Express International Business Division, shared his insights as a representative from the logistics sector on the import opportunities for Chinese e-commerce companies at the event.
China’s “One Belt, One Road” initiative and Supply-Side Reform policy provides a driving force for the development of cross-border trade for ASEAN countries as well as for China itself, Ray Li said. Overseas shopping by Chinese consumers is growing at a rate of more than 50% annually, driving the rapid increase in sales of milk power made in Singapore, coffee made in Vietnam and latex products made in Thailand.
As how to best expand into the Chinese market, in the pilot stage of business, Ray Li suggested cross-border e-commerce suppliers use B2C direct mailing services with light assets, zero inventory, small quantities and multi batch models, in order to accelerate the stock cycle and sales.
SF Express is a Chinese express company known for its fast delivery and quality services and has a network coverage of 34 provinces and cities across China. The express service provider, which owns 51 all-cargo aircraft, is building an air logistics hub that will soon to be the first in Asia and the fourth in the world. In Southeast Asia, the company has set up service points in Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam and Thailand with its own local service teams that can provide door-to-door international express services.
This event was co-hosted by the Ministry of Commerce of the People’s Republic of China Department of International Trade and Economic Affairs, the Department of Commerce of Yunnan Province, and the Asia-Pacific Model E-Port Network Operational Center. The event aims to strengthen the cooperation between and the development of GMS members in terms of cross-board e-commerce, through in-depth dialogues and communications.
