China's logistics sector continued to operate in the expansion range in May, propelled by growing consumer demand, an industry report showed Thursday.
The index tracking the country's logistics market stood at 50.6 percent in May, down 0.5 percentage points from the previous month but still above the boom-bust line of 50 percent, according to the China Federation of Logistics and Purchasing.
The total business volume index in the central and western regions is higher than the national average, with the logistics demand for equipment manufacturing, automobile and parts manufacturing in the central region, and coals and chemical products in the western region continuously growing.
"In view of China's logistics industry prosperity index in May, the total business volume index remained in the expansion range. Some key indicators, such as the new order index, the employment index, the business expectations index, including the capital turnover ratio index, remained in the expansion zone, indicating that the logistics demand in May remained stable in upward trend," said Liu Yuhang, director of the China Logistics Information Center.
In May, multiple factors such as consumer goods trade-in programs, holiday consumption and residents' cross-regional travel have pushed up the consumer logistics demand.
According to a survey of e-commerce platforms, the logistics orders of home appliances and communication products increased by 10-15 percent year on year in May.
The total business indexes of postal express delivery, road transportation and railway transportation in May came in at 69.4 percent, 51.3 percent and 54.2 percent, respectively, all maintaining an expansion trend.
China's logistics sector continues expansion in May
China's logistics sector continues expansion in May
From cutting-edge technology exhibitions to retail stores thousands of kilometers away from Europe and Southeast Asia, China-made robot vacuum cleaners are increasingly becoming a popular choice among consumers worldwide.
At electronics retailers in Berlin, Germany, Chinese brands such as Roborock and Dreame occupy prominent positions in dedicated robot vacuum sections, offering a wide range of products priced between 200 and 2,000 euros.
Many local consumers said that when purchasing smart home appliances including robot vacuum cleaners, they tend to give priority to Chinese-made products.
"It's a good price and good quality. It's also the innovation. I have a feeling that the European brands are not innovating enough," said one customer.
"I think they're always on top of the other technologies. They are getting them out faster. A lot of us are switching to the Chinese technology," another consumer said.
Germany is one of the most important overseas markets for China's floor-cleaning robots.
According to data from market research firm GfK, from January to November 2025, more than six out of 10 robot vacuum cleaners sold in Western Europe were Chinese brands.
Industry data also point to a strong global momentum.
According to the International Data Corporation (IDC), global shipments of smart robot vacuum cleaners reached 17.424 million units in the first three quarters of 2025, representing a year-on-year increase of 18.7 percent.
Chinese brands including Roborock, Ecovacs, Dreame, Xiaomi and Narwal ranked among the world's top five in terms of shipment volume, with a combined share of nearly 70 percent of the global market.
At a robot vacuum cleaner manufacturing plant in Huizhou, south China's Guangdong Province, workers were seen stepping up production of newly launched models that recently debuted at the Consumer Electronics Show in the United States, which concluded Friday in Las Vegas, Nevada.
The factory adjusted its production lines as early as December 2025 and stocked inventory in advance for overseas markets to ensure that new products could be delivered to global consumers at the earliest possible time.
"In 2025, Roborock's global shipments exceeded 7.2 million units. Since 2024, overseas revenue has accounted for more than 50 percent of our total revenue. Our products have now been sold to more than 170 countries and regions, serving more than 20 million households worldwide," said Quan Gang, president of Roborock.
At another robot vacuum cleaner manufacturing facility in Dongguan, Guangdong, rising overseas orders have prompted the company to upgrade its production lines with intelligent technologies to further boost capacity. The factory is currently operating at full load to meet a growing demand.
"For 2026, we have already obtained overseas orders worth at least 300 million to 400 million yuan (around 43 million to 57.3 million U.S. dollars). In addition, we've engaged in strategic cooperation with European home appliance group Cebos Group, and our total confirmed orders have exceeded 600 million yuan (around 86 million U.S. dollars)," said Zhang Junbin, founder and CEO of Narwal Robotics.
Chinese robot vacuum brands gain strong global traction
