China's e-commerce logistics activity picked up steam in August, with the sector's key index rebounding to one of its higher levels so far this year, according to the latest official data released Friday by the China Federation of Logistics and Purchasing (CFLP).
In August, the e-commerce logistics index, an indicator of logistics operations, came in at 111.5 points, up 0.3 point from July. Of the nine sub-indices, eight saw increases compared with last month.
In detail, on the supply side, e-commerce logistics continued to turn for the better as its service system underwent further improvement. In August, the inventory turnover index rose by 0.4 point month on month, logistics timeliness by 0.5 point, fulfillment rate by 0.9 point, and the satisfaction rate by 0.1 point.
On the demand side, consumption related to the transition from summer to autumn provided a lift, with categories, such as beauty and skincare, and autumn apparel, continuing to underpin basic online demand. By contrast, demand for traditional digital products, including smartphones and computers, moderated, as back-to-school spending was partly offset by rising prices.
In general, consumer preferences have increasingly shifted toward AI-enabled smart products, and high-end smart electronics have emerged as a new engine of growth.
In terms of actual operations, both the total e-commerce logistics volume and the rural logistics volume continued to grow in August. Compared with the same period of last year, the two volumes have maintained a growth rate of more than 20 percent.
"The rebound in e-commerce logistics is the most vivid sign of consumer vitality. Not only are urban orders stable, but rural e-commerce logistics has also grown markedly. This indicates that both urban and rural consumer markets are gaining momentum. When logistics gets moving, domestic demand is reviving. And it also reflects that the potential of our domestic economic circulation is being continuously unleashed," said Ma Zengrong, vice chairman and secretary-general of the CFLP.
China's e-commerce logistics index rebounds in August
As the lingering U.S.-Iran conflict over the Strait of Hormuz disrupts global oil and gas supply, the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum's energy ministers met in Beijing Thursday to chart a way forward, on whether the region can turn the crisis into opportunities.
The disruption of the Strait of Hormuz since late February 2026 has caused the largest oil supply shock on record, with ongoing daily shortfalls in the multi-million-barrel range. This energy supply shock has exposed the structural vulnerabilities of the Asia-Pacific region, the world's largest energy-consuming area.
As the APEC host this year, China has taken an open and inclusive approach, creating a multilateral dialogue platform. At the current energy ministerial meeting, it is pushing for a full exchange of practical experience among economies and channeling shared wisdom into real cooperative results.
"Since the beginning of this year, navigation through the Strait of Hormuz has been disrupted. China has fully leveraged its energy production, supply and marketing system, actively strengthened cooperation with all other parties, and made important contributions to safeguarding global energy security," said Chinese Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang in addressing the meeting.
The APEC Energy Ministerial Meeting, returning to Beijing after a 12-year hiatus, took place at a critical juncture following this "stress test."
"From our end in Papua New Guinea, we face the impacts of the war in Iran. We are an import-based economy. It did affect us in a great way," said Conrad Kumul, a delegate from Papua New Guinea, on the sidelines of the meeting.
Yet, many see that crises can also serve as catalysts for energy transition.
"The idea now is to push very much forward with the energy transition, even more than before. Now actually, the oil prices are so high that the comparatively renewable energies are very low in price," said Steivan Defilla, president assistant of the APEC Sustainable Energy Center, a high-level international energy think tank led by China's National Energy Administration.
China will hold the 33rd APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting in Shenzhen, south China's Guangdong Province, in November, which marks the country's third time hosting the event following Shanghai in 2001 and Beijing in 2014.
APEC ministers explore new pathways for energy security amid Hormuz crisis
