With the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence (AI), Chinese express delivery firms are accelerating the development and deployment of drones, autonomous vehicle, and other unmanned technologies to enhance logistics efficiency and reduce costs.
These innovations are streamlining logistics operations, raising delivery speed, improving accuracy, and driving industry transformation.
At a Shanghai-based courier company, AI-assisted route planner Du Lan is using AI and big data computing to optimize parcel collection, transfer, and delivery.
"For example, on the route from Fuzhou City to Shijiazhuang City to Suning City, AI provided me with two alternative options. Originally, the delivery would arrive early on the third day, but now AI suggests it can be delivered by midday of the second day - one full day earlier. This not only improves timeliness but also reduces costs," said Du with YTO Technology Company.
Beyond route planning, AI technology is revolutionizing the entire delivery chain, particularly in the "last mile" of delivery. In Chengdu's Xindu District, southwest China's Sichuan Province, couriers load parcels into autonomous vehicles, which transport them to local delivery hubs.
"We now use autonomous vehicles for transportation, reducing per-package costs by 42 percent and minimizing couriers' repetitive trips to and from delivery stations," said Han Huiqiang, head of network management department at ZTO Express in Xindu.
Several logistics companies are now deploying unmanned delivery vehicles across the country, experimenting with innovative delivery models that combine drones, autonomous vehicles and robots. These advancements are helping integrate ground and low-altitude transportation, strengthening the efficiency of last-mile delivery.
AI boosts efficiency in China's express delivery
China will establish a dynamic maintenance mechanism for territorial spatial planning, according to a circular on enhancing the guarantee of natural resource elements.
The circular, issued by the Ministry of Natural Resources and the National Forestry and Grassland Administration earlier this month, introduced 13 policy measures focusing on optimizing territorial spatial layout, improving resource allocation efficiency, safeguarding mineral exploitation, balancing existing and newly added resources, and coordinating land and sea use.
According to the notice, China will enhance the guarantee of natural resource elements to facilitate the implementation of 109 major projects outlined in the country's 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-2030).
"With regard to national and provincial projects designated on the planning map, which are eligible for special site selection, if a provincial natural resources administration conducted a review and granted permission that complies with the territorial spatial planning, the land use pre-review and site selection procedures can be omitted. With permission, land can be used. The approval procedures are significantly streamlined to ensure that major projects can be launched, built and put into service as quickly as possible," said Xie Haixia, director of the National Land Spatial Planning Bureau at the Ministry of Natural Resources.
The circular also urged a coordinated approval mechanism for land use, forest use, grassland use and sea use.
"Through information technology, we transition from step-by-step approval to parallel approval. At the provincial level, we will achieve full-system connectivity across all levels, reducing the need to re-enter applications and the step-by-step review of matters. By mobilizing data, we will reduce the legwork for enterprises and the public," said Liu Yan, director of the ministry's Department of Territorial Spatial Use Control.
China to establish dynamic mechanism for maintaining territorial spatial layout
