China's logistics growth: $21.56 trillion and structural modernisation
China's logistics growth: $21.56 trillion and structural modernisation. Logistics is the circulatory system of the economy. When it functions smoothly, goods, raw materials and components arrive on time, factories do not idle, and store shelves stay full. But today's figures are not just about the movement of freight. They speak of structural movement. High‑tech manufacturing, green energy, waste recycling — these are the sectors pulling growth forward, leaving traditional resource‑intensive industries behind. China's logistics is not just growing — it is restructuring.
According to the China Federation of Logistics and Purchasing (CFLP), China's logistics volume from January to May reached 146.6 trillion yuan (about 21.56 trillion US dollars), up 5.2% year‑on‑year. Industrial goods logistics grew by 5.4% over the period, with marked differences between sectors. Traditional resource‑intensive segments such as mining and non‑metallic mineral products maintained weak demand, while logistics in high‑tech manufacturing sustained relatively rapid growth. In May, demand for logistics linked to high‑tech manufacturing rose 15.1% year‑on‑year, while machinery‑related logistics demand increased 9.5%, with both figures accelerating from the previous month.
Liu Yuhan, Director of the China Logistics Information Centre, said: "Analysing the overall demand structure, we see steady growth in scale alongside an accelerating shift from old to new drivers. Demand in high‑value‑added and emerging sectors is growing faster than in traditional areas, making them the main engine of overall logistics growth." The data showed that import logistics growth slowed over the first five months, though the product mix continued to shift towards higher‑grade goods. Volumes of intermediate components for high‑tech manufacturing, including integrated circuits and semiconductor devices, remained at high levels. Over the same period, total renewable resource logistics value grew 5.4% year‑on‑year, outpacing the overall logistics growth rate by 0.2 percentage points. Demand for logistics services from the circular economy continued to rise, showing steady growth in sub‑sectors such as battery recycling and industrial solid waste treatment. In May, green product logistics volumes posted solid gains: lithium‑ion batteries rose 40%, biodegradable chemical fibres 18.1%, and carbon fibre and composite materials 13.4% year‑on‑year.
146.6 trillion yuan is not just a volume of goods moved. It is a map of economic priorities. A 15% rise in high‑tech logistics and falling demand in old industries show that China is not just modernising its industry — it is redrawing logistics routes. Integrated circuits, lithium‑ion batteries, carbon fibre — these goods are becoming the new "oil" and "steel" of the 21st century. Meanwhile, waste recycling and the circular economy show that growth no longer means mindless resource consumption. Logistics is becoming smarter, cleaner and more precise. And if old drivers are slowing, new ones have already gained speed.
As reported by CCTV+, the structural changes in China's logistics reflect a broader trend of economic transformation, where high technology and sustainable development are becoming the main drivers of growth.
