The export volume of global digital trade reached 7.23 trillion U.S. dollars in 2024, according to the Global Digital Trade Development Report 2025 released at the ongoing Fourth Global Digital Trade Expo (GDTE) in Hangzhou City, east China's Zhejiang Province on Friday.
The report shows that, according to the calculations by the compilation team, global digital trade achieved robust growth during 2020-2024 period, with the export volume increasing from 4.59 trillion U.S. dollars to 7.23 trillion U.S. dollars. This represents an average annual growth rate of 12.1 percent, which is higher than the average annual growth rate of 9.7 percent for global trade during the same period.
The export volume of digital delivery trade was 4.64 trillion U.S. dollars in 2024, with an average annual growth rate of 9.7 percent, while the digital ordering trade showed an even faster expansion, with an export volume of 2.62 trillion U.S. dollars and an average annual growth rate of 16.8 percent.
The five-day GDTE, China's only national-level exhibition dedicated to digital trade, kicked off on Thursday, bringing together thousands of companies around the world to Hanzhou to showcase their latest advancements in technologies and digital trade.
This year, the expo covers fields including digital entertainment, artificial intelligence (AI), Silk Road e-commerce, smart travel, digital healthcare, smart space, and intelligent logistics. For the first time, the expo has introduced over 30 activities and competitions related to connectivity, investment and financing.
Under the theme "Witness the innovative future at the Global Digital Trade Expo," the event attracted 1,800 exhibitors from 154 countries and regions. More than 20 percent of these are international exhibitors, with over 70 being Fortune Global 500 companies. This year’s total exhibition area covers more than 150,000 square meters.
Global digital trade export volume reaches 7.23 trln US dollars in 2024: report
Grief-stricken families in Nepal are anxiously waiting for news of their loved ones as rescue crews race to find more survivors buried among the debris from the catastrophic flash floods the resulting mudslide that swept through the north of the country on Wednesday.
The flash floods, triggered by the collapse of a glacier at a higher elevation, tore through Nepal's Bhote Koshi river in a matter of minutes. The disaster swept the Rasuwa, Nuwakot and Dhading districts, causing widespread destruction and mass casualties.
Nepali authorities confirmed Sunday that the death toll has risen to 734, with nearly 2,500 people still missing.
The disasters has devastated entire communities, leaving towns and villages utterly shell-shocked. For Tara Tamang, a survivor from Trishuli Bazaar in the Nuwakot district, the loss is almost unimaginable as she is now the lone surviving member of her family.
"I have lost my parents, my brother, my sister-in-law, my nieces and nephews, my siblings. I was rescued, but I can't contact my family. Now what will happen?" said Tamang, her voice shaking with grief.
Search and rescue teams are working around the clock in the valleys and hillsides lost under thick layers of debris. Helicopters have been deployed to reach inaccessible terrain, while ground crews struggle to clear the only major trade route between Nepal and China, which has been completely buried by landslides and mud.
For many survivors, the wait for news is agonizing. Krishna Bahadur Bhujel, who has come out to search for a missing loved one, expressed the frustration felt by countless families.
"Mobile messages say that the person you are trying to reach cannot be contacted and it's been an hour since the phones have been switched off. So, we have come here to find my son-in-law," he said.
The disaster has reduced entire villages to rubble, and with roads cut off, some survivors are making the arduous journey on foot to see what remains of their homes.
"I am saddened to see that many have lost their loved ones. I have been crying for their loss. For me, my house is gone. A shelter we worked hard to build," said Saraswati Silwal, another survivor.
The challenging conditions are hindering the search and rescue progress, with one rescue worker describing the difficulties they are facing on the ground.
"Since the debris is slushy and loose, it is becoming difficult to operate the bulldozers. If it was dry, we would have carried out our operation efficiently. I was stuck for a long time in the sludge," said Pawan Koirala, the rescue team member.
With each passing hour, hope is fading for those still unaccounted for, as the nation mourns the immense loss of life and livelihoods in one of its deadliest natural disasters in years.
Grief-stricken families await news as Nepali flood death toll rises
Grief-stricken families await news as Nepali flood death toll rises
