Cainiao expands global delivery service footprint

Cainiao Group, the logistics arm of Chinese tech heavyweight Alibaba Group Holding Ltd, has announced the expansion of its global five-day delivery service to six new key markets in Europe and Asia.

This is part of its broader push to boost logistics and delivery efficiency overseas.

Consumers in six countries — Vietnam, Hungary, Singapore, Qatar, the Philippines and Austria — will enjoy a more convenient delivery experience for cross-border parcels by the end of the year, with the shortest delivery time being just five days.

The service is now available to all cross-border e-commerce platforms and overseas merchants, marking another breakthrough in Cainiao's push to build a global smart logistics network, and a key milestone in the company's globalization efforts.

Cainiao first unveiled the delivery service in September 2023 in four European markets — Spain, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Belgium — to enhance the efficiency and reliability of cross-border e-commerce logistics in Europe.

Wan Lin, CEO of Cainiao, said, "We will continue to focus on four core areas, namely, global supply chains, cross-border logistics, local delivery in overseas markets and logistics technology."

The company will continue to consolidate its domestic supply chains, while upgrading overseas warehouse operations and supporting Chinese brands in expanding their footprint abroad, Wan said during the 2025 Global Smart Logistics Summit, which opened in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, on Wednesday.

In cross-border logistics, Cainiao has continuously improved its global delivery networks, and intensified its presence in main air cargo routes covering Europe, Latin America, and Southeast Asia.

It is also expanding local delivery operations in nine key markets, including Spain, France, the United States and Mexico, offering diversified services, such as next-day delivery and weekend delivery.

Wan acknowledged short-term challenges for global e-commerce but expressed confidence in long-term growth, driven by a rising e-commerce penetration rate and evolving business models worldwide.

Xiong Wei, vice-president of Cainiao and general manager of the cross-border logistics division of Cainiao, said the company has built a cross-border logistics network covering more than 200 countries and regions and provides fulfillment services for 90 percent of the world's leading cross-border e-commerce platforms, adding that the global five-day delivery services will be expanded to more core e-commerce markets worldwide.

Moreover, Cainiao has inked a long-term strategic partnership with Qatar Airways Cargo, a leading international air cargo carrier, aiming to enhance the efficiency of cross-border e-commerce logistics and meet the growing demand for faster and more reliable delivery services.

Leveraging Qatar Airways Cargo's extensive global network and operational capabilities, Cainiao will more than double the number of cargo flights on key routes from China to Europe each week, to improve the shopping experience for overseas consumers.

Zhang Zhouping, an independent analyst who has been tracking the cross-border e-commerce sector for more than a decade, said Cainiao's plans to expand its global five-day delivery service align with the current development trend of cross-border e-commerce, and lay a solid foundation for Alibaba's globalization strategy.

Zhang said establishing logistics infrastructure abroad will help improve cross-border delivery efficiency, reduce the operating costs of online retailers and facilitate the development of the global e-commerce sector.

fanfeifei@chinadaily.com.cn