E-commerce site sparks growth in foreign orders

E-commerce is playing an increasingly important role in spurring growth in foreign trade within Xi'an International Trade and Logistics Park.

According to local government data, by the end of July, the park had completed 210,000 export orders and 13,000 import orders after the park's cross-border business e-commerce website was put into operation in October 2014.

Yang Mingrui, director of the park's administrative committee, said the park has released a number of policies to support e-commerce and cross-border trade.

He said the goal is for e-commerce business to surpass 100 billion yuan ($15.7 billion) by 2017.

"Our website address is Iesroad.com, meaning Internet E-commerce Silk Road. It has attracted more than 260 companies involved in foreign trade, logistics and finance to run their businesses online," the director said.

A central and western commodities trading platform with an investment of 1 billion yuan as well as a separate steel business e-commerce platform with investment of 500 million yuan are currently under construction on the website.

In July, the park was approved by the State Council to be a national e-commerce demonstration base.

Jingdong Group, an e-commerce giant in China, began building an operation center in the park in March 2014 to expand its business across the region and to Central Asia and Europe.

"We chose the park because it has an unparalleled location and resources," said Shen Haoyu, chief operating officer of Jingdong Group.

The park's goal to create a modern service and industrial town that dovetails with Jingdong's aim to provide the best service experiences to its clients, Shen said.

"We also want to explore international markets in Central Asia, Russia and other European countries," Shen said.

With the help of the park's inland port platform, Jingdong hopes to achieve its development goals at an earlier date, Shen said.

The e-commerce platform built by the park also provides convenience for local residents to buy foreign products online and for local enterprises to import goods.

A resident surnamed Liu whose son studies in the United Kingdom said she enjoys the park's e-commerce services.

"My son will never worry that he can't eat delicious foods he used to eat at home," Liu said. "With the e-commerce platform, I will never worry that my son could not have Xi'an food in Hong Kong," the mother said.

The park is also focusing on cross-border online-to-offline businesses and has built an offline experience zone for foreign goods and a shop that directly sells import commodities, Yang said.

To further promote e-commerce, the park will attract more e-commerce companies and improve the working and investment environment, the director said.

The park will also make greater efforts to develop cross-border e-commerce, an important strategy for the park's economic integration globally, he said.

"With the Chang'an international freight trains, the park's e-commerce service platform will play a key role in opening an online Silk Road for the development of international trade between Shaanxi and Central Asia and Europe," the director said.

Contact the writers at luhongyan@chinadaily.com.cn and malie@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily 09/22/2015 page15)