China to expand postal and courier services in rural regions

To improve the quality of life in rural areas, China has announced plans to expand the construction of comprehensive logistics stations this year. This initiative is part of a broader effort to enhance the quality of postal and courier services in rural regions, ensuring that even the most remote villages benefit from efficient and reliable delivery services, according to the State Post Bureau of China on Wednesday.

Hou Yanbo, the spokesman for the bureau, said one of the major focuses in 2025 is on strengthening the construction of village-level logistics service stations, which will significantly improve the service quality in rural areas, such as delivering to the accurate address. He made the remarks at a news conference on Wednesday in Beijing.

China has been focused on improving rural logistics in the past decade, and has already established 346,000 village-level comprehensive logistics service stations nationwide. These stations have significantly upgraded the quality of services provided at village-level postal sites. Xinjiang, Xizang, and Inner Mongolia autonomous regions have seen a notable increase in the volume of parcel deliveries, with growth rates significantly surpassing the national average. These areas, often characterized by challenging terrains and lower population densities, have historically faced logistical hurdles that are now being greatly improved.

In addition to infrastructure development, the bureau is encouraging enterprises to invest more in rural areas. This includes upgrading the informatization and automation of county-level parcel processing equipment and enhancing the overall postal infrastructure in rural settings. Companies are also being urged to adhere strictly to their service commitments, ensuring that rural customers receive the same level of service as their urban counterparts, Hou said.

The postal and courier industry in China has shown robust growth in the past 15 years. Last year, China's parcel delivery industry shattered all previous records, handling a staggering 174.5 billion packages — equivalent to more than 124 per person in the country. The rapid expansion of the sector underscores not only the growing dependence of Chinese consumers on e-commerce, but also the increasing role express delivery plays as a barometer of the economy.

The industry is showing no signs of slowing down. In 2025, express delivery volume is projected to reach 190 billion.