China's 2026 express delivery volume had surpassed 150 billion packages as of Tuesday, hitting the mark 12 days earlier than in 2025, the State Post Bureau said on Wednesday.
The express delivery sector has grown at a double-digit pace for several years, consistently setting new records. In 2025, the country handled 198.95 billion packages, up 13.6 percent year on year.
This momentum has carried into 2026. Given a steady economy shifting toward higher-quality growth, more consumer demand has been unleashed, providing a solid foundation for the expansion of the express delivery market.
Data from the State Post Bureau show that China has built more than 1,200 county-level delivery centers and 427,000 village-level service stations.
Robotic warehousing and distribution systems and fully automated sorting lines are now widely used. Unmanned delivery vehicles have covered more than 200 cities across the country, and drones deliver nearly 4 million parcels a year, steadily improving delivery efficiency.
China remains the world's second-largest consumer market and it continues to grow. In the first eight months of this year, total retail sales of goods and services, a major indicator of the country's consumption strength, rose 2.5 percent year on year, with online retail sales of goods and services reaching nearly 13.48 trillion yuan (about 2 trillion U.S. dollars), up 4.6 percent.
"The accelerated pace of parcel flows is not only a strong testament to the resilience of China's postal and express delivery industry, but also a reflection of the sound momentum of steady growth of the consumer market and the steady progress of economic development. It also confirms that the postal and express delivery industry is not only an important channel for unclogging the main arteries of the economy, but also an important force for ensuring the microcirculation of people's livelihoods (the everyday delivery and service networks that keep communities running)," said Liu Jiang, head of the strategic planning and research department at the State Post Bureau Development and Research Center.
China's express delivery volume hits 150 bln packages by late September
China's tourism sector is gearing up for a booming influx of international visitors as the National Day holiday kicks off on Thursday, driven by relaxed visa policies and soaring overseas interest.
In the southwestern province of Sichuan, curated boutique travel routes are offering international tourists immersive experiences, highlighting local attractions ranging from snow-capped mountains and giant pandas to intangible cultural heritage and local cuisine.
According to forecasts by the Sichuan General Station of Exit and Entry Frontier Inspection, the total volume of inbound and outbound travelers at Chengdu’s two major airports -- Tianfu and Shuangliu -- is expected to exceed 150,000 during this year's National Day holiday. The daily average throughput is projected at 21,000 travelers, with a peak daily volume of 22,000 expected on the first day of the holiday.
"This is my first time in China. I always wanted to visit China. I want to make a big trip in China. I'm in Chengdu right now and I want to see the pandas, and I also want to try Sichuan cuisine," said a tourist from Russia.
Meanwhile, eastern China's coastal hubs are experiencing a parallel boom. According to the Shandong General Station of Exit and Entry Frontier Inspection, ports across Shandong Province are expected to handle 142,000 inbound and outbound travelers during the holiday, marking a 27.3 percent increase year on year. Driven by the continuous policy dividends of China's expanding visa-free transit policies, cities including Jinan, Qingdao and Yantai are seeing peak travel flows. In Weihai, located at the eastern tip of the Shandong Peninsula, tourism momentum has carried over from the summer season, marked by a noticeable rise in travelers opting for ferry routes between China and South Korea. The dozen-hour maritime passage has emerged as a popular choice for tourists commuting between the two countries. "It is very convenient, the customs clearance process is smooth, and the staff are very enthusiastic. Weihai is very clean," said a tourist from South Korea.
China's border authorities are ramping up operational capacity to manage the heavy foot traffic.
"During the holiday, we have increased the number of inspection lanes, optimized duty arrangements, and deployed staff in advance to direct passenger flows. Meanwhile, we continue to implement measures to facilitate convenient customs clearance, ensuring efficient and smooth operations at the port," said Guo Xu, head of the first inspection team at the Weihai border inspection station.
China braces for inbound travel surge during National Day Holiday
