The postal and express delivery segment in the Xizang autonomous region is poised for significant growth in 2024.
The sector is expected to achieve a mail and express delivery volume of 202 million items and a business revenue of 1.07 billion yuan ($150 million) this year, according to the region's postal administration.
Xizang's postal and express delivery industry saw robust growth in 2023, with express courier firms handling 191 million parcels and achieving 1.01 billion yuan in revenue, marking a rise of 7.9 percent and 36.33 percent year-on-year, respectively, data recently released by the administration showed.
In 2023, the express delivery volume was 22 million items and business revenue was 609 million yuan, with an increase of 79.78 percent and 35.85 percent year-on-year, respectively.
In 2024, the region's express delivery volume is forecast to reach 24 million items, with a business revenue of 657 million yuan, an about 8 percent increase.
This growth demonstrates the industry's resilience and recovery capability, setting a positive tone for the year ahead.
As an integral part of the modern logistics industry, transportation and logistics have played a pivotal role in enhancing efficiency, optimizing resources, and reducing costs, while making substantial contributions to the region's economic and social development.
Wang Huiwen, head of the administration, said it is committed to leveraging the comprehensive three-dimensional transportation network of the autonomous region to enhance postal express hub capacity during the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25) period.
The administration aims to accelerate the implementation of major postal projects during the period and promote the construction of a robust postal network to improve quality and efficiency.
"In line with these objectives, our administration is focused on deepening cooperation with commercial transportation, advanced manufacturing, modern agriculture, and financial communication, integrating itself into the industrial and innovation chains at a higher level," Wang was quoted as saying by Xizang Commerce Daily.
Efforts are underway to strengthen the industry infrastructure, coordinate rural infrastructure and public services, promote balanced urban-rural development, optimize the trunk transportation structure, enhance airfreight and road transportation capabilities and actively develop multimodal transportation, Wang said.
To improve the postal service network, the administration is committed to promoting effective connections between village-level postal logistics stations and express services, deepening "postal-express cooperation" and supporting rural revitalization.
The administration is also working to advance the coordinated development of rural e-commerce and express delivery, as well as the construction of township transportation service stations and postal-road intermodal transport routes.
Recognizing the significance of informatization, the administration is prioritizing the automation, intelligence and digitization of the industry.
Efforts are being made to strengthen the application of the "Green Shield" project information system, promote the use of self-service sorting systems and advance the application of intelligent lockers, drones and unmanned vehicles.
Looking ahead, the administration is focused on consolidating and enhancing the industry's positive trend, promoting qualitative and effective improvement, and contributing to the high-quality development of the postal and express delivery industry in Xizang.
"These efforts are aimed at contributing to the construction of a strong postal network in the region and supporting the region's role in the country's overall efforts to build a robust transportation country," Wang added.
Manlha Tsering, a courier worker at a China Post outlet in Lhasa, capital of Xizang, for the past six years, said he has witnessed the rapid development of the region's postal and express delivery industry.
"Back in 2018, I handled only an average of around 50 parcels per day, now the number has grown steadily to an average of 100 per day, thanks to the fast-growing logistics industry in recent years," he said.
"Thanks to the region's overall socioeconomic development and improvement in transportation, the region's express delivery industry has been steadily growing in recent years," he said.
