China's logistics sees steady growth, structural upgrade in Jan-May 2025

China's logistics industry maintained steady growth and continued structural optimization in the first five months of 2025, with robust demand in industrial logistics and accelerating momentum in consumer-related logistics, according to data released by the China Federation of Logistics and Purchasing (CFLP) on Sunday.

From January to May, the total value of social logistics nationwide reached 138.7 trillion yuan (about 19.35 trillion U.S. dollars), up 5.3 percent year on year, the data showed. In May alone, logistics grew by 5.0 percent, a slight dip of 0.5 percentage points from April.

Driven by industrial upgrades and supportive policies, logistics demand in most industrial sub-sectors remained resilient.

Equipment manufacturing contributed over 50 percent of the growth in industrial logistics, and logistics demand in automotive manufacturing, computer and communication equipment, and other electronics industries all grew by more than 10 percent.

Policies promoting equipment renewal also boosted logistics volumes for motors and shipbuilding.

"The structure of overall logistics demand continues to improve. In terms of its component, the industrial sector remains the stabilizing force, while demand from new growth drivers like intelligent manufacturing has grown rapidly," said Liu Yuhang, director of the China Logistics Information Center.

Consumer logistics also saw accelerated growth, the data showed.

In the first five months this year, logistics related to goods for individuals and households rose 6.4 percent from the previous, up 0.5 percentage points from the January-April period. In May alone, this segment grew 8.3 percent, a 2.1-percentage point increase from April.

Policies encouraging the consumer goods trade-in and the holiday economy helped drive this surge. And maturing new consumption models such as livestream e-commerce and instant retail have further stimulated the demand.

Online retail sales of physical goods rose 6.3 percent year on year in the first five months, up 0.5 percentage points from the previous period.

However, import logistics continued to decline amid global uncertainties. From January to May, the total value of import logistics fell 4.1 percent year on year. In May, the decline widened 2.7 percentage points from April to 3.8 percent in May.

Bulk commodity imports saw notable drops: iron ore and concentrates decreased 5.2 percent, coal and lignite dropped 7.9 percent, and steel imports plunged 16.1 percent.

In contrast, imports of machine tools and integrated circuits rose 25.1 percent and 8.4 percent respectively, indicating a shift from traditional bulk commodities to high-value industrial goods.

"China's economy is driven by domestic economy. Despite global headwinds, we are leveraging domestic economy to offset import declines with domestic production. We are able to leverage our own strengths and maintain autonomy," said Zhang Mingyu, a professor at Beijing Jiaotong University.

Green and renewable logistics also showed strong performance.

From January to May, logistics related to renewable resources grew 16.2 percent year on year, up 0.3 percentage points from the January-April period. In May alone, growth reached 13.3 percent.

Logistics demand for new energy vehicles and lithium-ion batteries for automotive use surged over 30 percent from the previous year, the data showed.

China's logistics sees steady growth, structural upgrade in Jan-May 2025

China's logistics sees steady growth, structural upgrade in Jan-May 2025

The U.S. military strike against Venezuela and capture of its president, Nicolas Maduro, has shocked the international community, triggering a steady stream of condemnation and serious concerns worldwide.

Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Uruguay and Spain issued a joint statement on Sunday, expressing serious concern about and firm opposition to the U.S. unilateral military operations in Venezuela.

The U.S. actions contravene fundamental principles of international law, particularly the prohibition on the use or threat of force, and respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of States, as enshrined in the UN Charter, constituting an extremely dangerous precedent against peace and regional security, according to the statement.

In expressing profound concern and firm rejection, the six countries stressed in the statement that the situation in Venezuela must be resolved exclusively by peaceful means, and through dialogue, negotiation and respect for the will of the Venezuelan people in all its expressions, without external interference and in accordance with international law.

Only an inclusive political process, led by Venezuelans, can lead to a democratic, sustainable solution that respects human dignity, according to the statement.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez condemned the U.S. raid in Venezuela as a violation of international law, adding that the Spanish government always advocates and defends international law and peaceful resolution of conflicts.

Addressing a meeting of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez demanded the unconditional and immediate release of Maduro and his wife.

Noting that Latin America and the Caribbean are a zone of peace, he expressed his firm opposition to the use of force, which is an unshakable principle.

Any aggression against Venezuela shall be regarded as an attack against all CELAC member states, and nations must collectively oppose it, he stressed.

The South African government denounced the U.S. attack on Venezuela as a violation of international law, according to a statement released on Sunday.

History has repeatedly demonstrated that military invasions against sovereign states yield only instability and deepening crisis, the statement said.

South Africa calls on the UN Security Council to urgently convene a session to address this situation, according to the statement.

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said what happened in Venezuela demonstrates that international law and the UN Charter are losing their practical effectiveness.

U.S. military action against Venezuela marks a dangerous precedent, as similar actions could be taken against any other nations, he said.

In addition, the foreign ministries of Namibia, Singapore, Oman and Pakistan also issued statements on the same day, expressing grave concern over U.S. interference in Venezuela's internal affairs.

They emphasized the need to uphold international law and the principles of the UN Charter while respecting Venezuela's sovereignty.

They also called on all parties to exercise restraint and resolve the crisis through peaceful dialogue.

U.S. move against Venezuela sparks condemnation, concerns worldwide