Express shipping from China is accelerating due to a combination of technological innovations, infrastructure expansion, and strategic logistics optimization. The improvements are driven by massive investments in automation, automation, digitalization, expanded air cargo networks, and autonomous delivery systems.
Explosive Growth in Logistics Technology and Automation
China’s express delivery sector is undergoing a dramatic technological transformation that directly accelerates shipping speeds. The country now processes over 6,200 parcels per second, up from previous levels, demonstrating the scale at which automation systems operate. By the end of 2024, over 6,000 unmanned delivery vehicles had entered large-scale commercial operation, with nearly three million parcels delivered by drones.
The implementation of AI-powered warehouse automation is particularly significant. JD.com’s fully automated “Asia No. 1” warehouse exemplifies this advancement—smart systems can scan 200 labels, shelve 20,000 items, and take 320,000 photos in just one minute. These automated fulfillment centers leverage advanced technologies including Automated Storage and Retrieval Systems (ASRS), high-speed sortation machines, and AI-driven robots that enhance operational efficiency and order processing precision.
Drones have become instrumental in specific delivery scenarios. In Jiangsu Province, local specialty hairy crabs now reach Shanghai from the Yangtze River in just 15 minutes using drone delivery—two and a half hours faster than by road. SF Express has expanded drone operations significantly, with Phoenix Wings (an SF subsidiary) opening 523 routes and completing over one million flights by September 2024, successfully transporting more than 5.2 million items.
Unmanned vehicles are simultaneously transforming last-mile delivery. ZTO Express reported a 50 percent increase in delivery efficiency and a nearly one-third reduction in operating costs after adopting a transportation model combining drones and unmanned vehicles. Yunda Express introduced unmanned delivery vehicles that improved delivery efficiency by over 30 percent, with each vehicle capable of delivering up to 2,000 parcels daily.
Massive Air Cargo Network Expansion
China is dramatically expanding its international air cargo capacity to accelerate cross-border express shipping. The country added 75 international air cargo routes in just the first four months of 2025, with nearly 90 percent of these connecting to Asia and Europe. In a major strategic move, Zhengzhou inaugurated 16 new air cargo routes in 2025, connecting with key markets in Frankfurt, Paris, Budapest, Istanbul, and Madrid—cities representing critical international trade hubs.
By the end of 2024, China operated 256 dedicated freighter aircraft across 15 dedicated cargo airlines. This dedicated air freight capacity has positioned China to contribute over 30 percent of global incremental growth in international air cargo. The expansion extends beyond first-tier cities; Nanning acquired its first dedicated air cargo freighter expected to commence operations in June 2025, creating an “air cargo bridge” connecting China with ASEAN countries.
Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport launched a direct cargo route to Tokyo offering “same-day delivery” services for cross-border e-commerce freight, while Shanghai maintains its position as the core hub in the global freighter network.
Streamlined Cross-Border E-Commerce Infrastructure
The bonded warehouse model has revolutionized speed expectations for Chinese cross-border e-commerce. Alibaba’s Tmall Global now stocks approximately 70 percent of its cross-border inventory in bonded warehouses, enabling next-day delivery on over half of all orders. This strategic positioning eliminates international shipping delays for the majority of transactions.
Goods stored in bonded warehouses benefit from expedited customs processes, with pre-clearance occurring during bulk arrival and final clearance happening only when an order is placed. Smart customs pilots in 136 scenarios have slashed clearance times by 67 percent, dramatically accelerating cross-border parcel flows. From the bonded warehouse perspective, goods can be delivered in 2-3 days to the final customer in mainland China, comparable with domestic shipping speeds.
Cross-border express deliveries surged to 1.66 billion parcels from January through May 2025, representing a 22.4 percent increase compared to the same period last year. This growth reflects both improved logistics capabilities and consumer confidence in faster delivery timelines.
Advanced Route Optimization and Data Analytics
Logistics providers are leveraging AI-powered route optimization to reduce transit times significantly. Dynamic routing systems recalculate optimal paths instantly when congestion or incidents arise, keeping estimated delivery times accurate while minimizing idle miles. These systems combine real-time traffic feeds with historical transit data and service-time forecasts to generate precise lead-time promises.
Unified tracking systems and interoperable data formats across carriers enable multi-carrier visibility, allowing shippers to compare services in real time and select optimal service tiers. This standardization improves the structural efficiency of the entire express delivery ecosystem.
Domestic Speed Improvements as Foundation
While international improvements are notable, domestic delivery speeds provide the foundation for all improvements. In 2023, the average delivery time of courier companies in key regions in China was shortened by more than two hours to 56.42 hours. Same-day delivery within major city clusters and next-day delivery between key cities have become the norm—putting China at the forefront of global logistics efficiency.
The integration between China Post and Cainiao demonstrates how partnership-driven innovation enhances speed. Their collaboration transitioned rural logistics from manual processes to an integrated, high-capacity digital system where intelligent automation drastically reduced sorting times, increased parcel-handling capacity, and lowered labor costs. This improvement extended faster delivery capabilities to previously underserved rural and remote areas.
Record Volumes Enabling Efficiency Gains
The sheer volume of packages moving through China’s express network creates economies of scale that accelerate improvements. China’s courier sector handled 174.5 billion parcels in 2024, a 21 percent increase year-on-year. The sector reached a historic milestone, sustaining an average monthly volume exceeding 10 billion parcels—a scale unmatched globally.
This unprecedented volume justifies massive capital investments in automation infrastructure that would be economically unviable at smaller scales. Major express companies continue to build smart logistics parks; JD Logistics, for example, has built more than 40 intelligent logistics parks in over 20 provinces, significantly reducing logistics costs and improving delivery efficiency.
Future Trajectory of Acceleration
Industry experts project continued acceleration in coming years. Cainiao’s leadership expects over 200,000 unmanned delivery vehicles to enter service within three to five years, further driving technological advancement and cost reduction. Comprehensive AI integration across supply chain functions creates multiplicative efficiency gains rather than additive improvements.
The convergence of these factors—automation, expanded air cargo capacity, bonded warehouse infrastructure, AI-driven optimization, and unprecedented parcel volumes—creates a self-reinforcing cycle where faster delivery becomes both economically viable and customer-expected. As infrastructure improves and technologies mature, each year enables incremental speed improvements that compound across the entire express shipping ecosystem.