This Day, That Year

Chinese courier companies are expanding their global networks, helping overseas buyers receive products from the country faster.

SF Express recently announced it was teaming up with the US logistics giant UPS.

Each company has committed to investing $5 million in the joint venture.

SF’s own delivery network includes 51 countries and regions.

In May, YTO Express, backed by e-commerce powerhouse Alibaba Group Holding, launched a global parcel alliance featuring couriers in 25 countries.

The company aims to become a leading global logistics service provider in a market dominated by DHL, UPS, and FedEx.

In the second quarter of this year, Chinese couriers handled 9.8 billion parcels, up by 31 percent year-onyear, according to the State Post Bureau.

The sector generated more than 120 billion yuan ($18 billion) in revenues in the period.

The government has called for the establishment of several overseas logistics centers during the 13th Five-Year Plan (2016-20).

Cainiao Network Technology, Alibaba’s courier aggregator, has already established such centers in Southeast Asia, cutting costs and saving delivery time.

Item from July 28, 1989, in China Daily: Courier companies are doing well in China this year.

DHL China, a joint venture with DHL of Hong Kong set up through China National Foreign Trade Transportation Corp, accounted for about onethird of the courier business last year.