China's cold chain logistics sector continued to expand in the first half of this year with steady demand growth, reflecting an increase in both the value and volume of logistics services, according to official data released by China Federation of Logistics and Purchasing on Sunday.
In the first half of the year, China's total cold chain logistics value reached 3.22 trillion yuan (451.9 billion U.S. dollars), marking a 3.9 percent year-on-year increase. The volume of goods moved through cold chain logistics was 220 million tons, up by 4.4 percent compared with the same period of the previous year. The revenue from cold chain logistics also grew, totaling 277.9 billion yuan (39 billion U.S. dollars), a 3.4 percent rise year on year.
"Judged by the overall market performance, the cold chain logistics sector of China has basically maintained a stable development trend. This is mainly driven by the growth in consumption, which has led to a steady increase in cold chain logistics. As consumers' demand for higher-quality products rises, the demand for cold chain services is expected to increase as well," said Cui Zhongfu, vice head of China Federation of Logistics and Purchasing.
As of June 30, the total capacity of cold storage in China reached 237 million cubic meters, a year-on-year increase of 7.73 percent. In particular, 9.42 million cubic meters of new storage capacity has been added so far this year. In the first half of the year, the nationwide cold storage rental volume exceeded 29 million cubic meters, representing a year-on-year growth of over 8 percent.
China's cold chain logistics sector continued expansion in January-June
Several delegates at China's ongoing "two sessions" have called for increased investment in emerging industries to spur industrial upgrading and economic growth.
The "two sessions" refer to the annual meetings of China's top legislature, the National People's Congress (NPC), and the top political advisory body, the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC).
Both bodies serve five-year terms and hold a plenary session each year. The current 14th NPC has nearly 3,000 deputies, while the 14th CPPCC National Committee comprises over 2,000 members.
Chinese Premier Li Qiang delivered the government work report at the opening meeting of the third session of the 14th NPC on Wednesday, reviewing last year's achievements and outlining goals and tasks for 2025. The report emphasized the integration of sci-tech innovation and industrial innovation to build new growth momentum and upgrade traditional industries. Some delegates noted that investment in emerging industries can not only optimize the investment structure but also drive the upgrading of traditional industries, serving as a key engine for economic growth.
"We must swiftly embrace new technologies. In fact, AI is now integrated into production, research and development, and sales systems. We have transitioned from manual to tech-driven workflows in processing, quality control, product standards, and pilot testing within deep processing industrial chains," said NPC deputy Leng Youbin.
"Fujian's computing power infrastructure is expanding rapidly, with the number of cabinets in the province expected to reach 150,000 by 2025, providing 1.5 million kilowatts of capacity to ensure an ample power supply," said Ruan Qiantu, a member of the CPPCC National Committee and chairman of State Grid Fujian Electric Power Company.
The National Development and Reform Commission announced last Thursday that China will establish a national venture capital guidance fund and encourage the creation of a mergers and acquisitions fund to drive the development of new business models, including AI large models, embodied intelligence, and the low-altitude economy.
The new plan has been widely praised by NPC deputies.
"On one hand, this policy addresses enterprises' funding concerns. On the other hand, it helps scientists overcome funding shortages when testing, refining, and transforming research results into products. This is an effective policy to tackle key bottlenecks in the integration of technological and industrial innovation," said NPC deputy Zhang Xiaohong.
"The transformation of sci-tech achievements into industrial outcomes, along with technological development and synergy, can drive the extension, supplementation, and strengthening of industrial chains while enhancing overall industrial value. With these efforts, we will certainly achieve the economic growth target of 5 percent," said NPC deputy Mo Dingge.
NPC deputy Xu Shengjie highlighted the need for stronger investment in basic research, talent development, and industry-academia collaboration to advance new quality productive forces.
"Developing new quality productive forces requires strong sci-tech support. We should further increase investment in basic research to achieve breakthroughs in core technologies in key fields and maintain a competitive edge. We must also take various measures to cultivate talent and promote deep integration between industries, academia, and research institutes," Xu said.
"Private enterprises should intensify innovation and leverage scientific technologies and AI to further enhance their core competitiveness and achieve higher-quality development. We should also encourage enterprises to expand globally and strengthen their presence in international markets to improve their standing in global competition," said NPC deputy Shi Jubin.
"Two sessions" delegates call for increased investment in emerging industries
