Riding the wave of digital innovation, China’s new e-commerce sector continues to pioneer emerging business models and trends. On July 26–27, the 5th China New E-Commerce Conference was held in Yanbian, Jilin Province, under the theme “A New Era of Digital intelligence, A New Value for E-commerce.” The conference aimed to optimize the digital economy through high-quality e-commerce, support shared prosperity, and promote inclusive social development.
The conference underscored how new e-commerce is breaking barriers and building a value-driven ecosystem. By integrating technology with market needs, the sector is writing a new chapter in China’s digital economy.
Consensus from Industry Leaders: Charting the Path Forward
The rapid growth of new e-commerce has never been the result of isolated breakthroughs; rather, it is the inevitable outcome of combined efforts from businesses and society. At this year’s conference, the exchange of ideas from all sides helped chart a clear direction for the industry’s development.
Conference speakers highlighted key priorities for high-quality development: strengthening digital technologies to drive industry momentum, cultivating distinctive brands as industry benchmarks, promoting standardized development for a healthier ecosystem, and expanding open cooperation to explore new markets.
The conference also emphasized China’s focus on digital trade, particularly cross-border e-commerce. In 2024, China’s cross-border e-commerce imports and exports grew 10.8%, representing 6% of total foreign trade. Increasingly, companies are “selling globally,” and consumers worldwide are “buying globally.”
Top platforms and enterprises are showcasing a powerful blend of technology-driven innovation and integrated business strategies. At the Technology Innovation Sub-Forum, Ji Liwei, Vice President of Public Affairs at Alibaba Group, shared practical applications of AI large models in product selection and content creation, showing how AI is moving from experimental tools to practical business solutions. At the sub-forum on integrated development, Ji Gongcheng, Vice President and Editor-in-Chief of Kuaishou, highlighted how live commerce fuels consumer demand and generates significant employment opportunities. Serving over 700 million users, Kuaishou enables the daily sale of nearly one million agricultural products across China, creating over 40 million jobs.
Grassroots workers vividly showcased these achievements through personal stories. Tu Lei, host and livestreamer, highlighted the impact of live commerce at the conference by sharing how he promoted traditional cast-iron cookware. By livestreaming over 40 handmade processes, he allowed viewers to connect directly with the craftsmanship behind these heritage items. Delivery rider Gao Feng shared the evolution of the modern courier, describing how they’ve gone from being simply “urban couriers” to becoming “assistants in everyday life.” He emphasized how this workforce now plays a crucial role in connecting services to communities, highlighting their growing impact on daily life.
The new e-commerce ecosystem thrives through the combined efforts of all its participants. Platforms provide the technical infrastructure, merchants bring market energy, and consumers create value. Together, these elements work in harmony, propelling the industry into a new phase of growth and innovation.
Multi-Dimensional Initiatives: Building an Empowered Industry Network
The conference was more than just discussions; it served as a hub for forming real-world partnerships and collaborations. Two main themed events and three supporting campaigns covered every stage of the value chain, moving ideas from concept to actual implementation.
The themed events showcased development pathways. The industry matchmaking event highlighted the latest achievements across people, products, and platforms. Examples included BYD’s in-vehicle drone systems for professional filming, Douyin’s Outstanding Chinese Factory Manager Initiative to support digital transformation of local manufacturers, and JD.com’s digital livestreamers provided 24/7 online sales. In total, 19 organizations and 25 exhibition booths demonstrated how technology is reshaping the e-commerce value chain. The “Promoting Consumption, Benefiting People—Jilin Ginseng Industry Belt” event used JD’s omni-channel capabilities to standardize and market the local ginseng industry, offering replicable models for regional industrial upgrades and rural revitalization.
The three supporting campaigns boosted both supply and demand. The high-quality development of new e-commerce has been promoted through initiatives such as the Digital Commerce for Rural Prosperity Initiative, the National Media New E-Commerce Initiative, the Top-Quality Products E-Commerce Initiative, the Domestic Trendy Brands E-Commerce Initiative, and livestreams focused on local products, creating coordinated synergy between national media, platforms, and local regions. The China E-Commerce Livestreaming Talent Competition helped specialty products like ginseng and rice reach broader markets via short video and livestreaming, supporting industrial growth and regional economies. The Quality Streamer Support Program focused on five key areas, including online philanthropy and rural revitalization, transforming public attention into social impact.
These campaigns connected market demand with available resources, helping local economies overcome issues like weak branding and limited sales channels. They also provided small and medium-sized enterprises with tools for digital transformation while offering consumers more convenient shopping experiences. From policy implementation to market activation, and from technological showcases to actual sales, the conference highlighted the seamless integration between the digital and real-world economies.
Showcasing Achievements: Mapping a Mature Industry Ecosystem
The conference showcased the sector’s achievements over the past year, with the release of the 2025 China New E-commerce Report and a range of innovative case studies offering a comprehensive overview of the industry’s evolution. The report explored five key themes: new momentum, new demand, new rules, new data, and new value, providing a holistic view of China's new e-commerce landscape. Key statistics showed impressive growth, with nationwide online retail sales reaching 15.5 trillion yuan in 2024, maintaining China’s position as the world’s largest online retail market for the 12th consecutive year. Cross-border e-commerce imports and exports reached 2.6 trillion yuan, solidifying its role as a major driver of foreign trade. Additionally, nearly 600 million users engaged in live commerce, with its popularity continuing to rise.
These developments show how new e-commerce has evolved from a tool-driven sector into an integrated ecosystem. The conference showcased both technological breakthroughs and socially responsible practices, emphasizing that high-quality growth requires both innovation and societal impact.
The 5th China New E-Commerce Conference served as a key platform for promoting development ideas, releasing authoritative reports, showcasing the latest achievements, and facilitating collaboration. It helped drive efficient resource allocation and foster regional cooperation, highlighting the sector’s innovation and social responsibility.
The conference highlighted the transformative role of new e-commerce. It acts as a “new agricultural tool” for rural revitalization, connecting remote specialty products to national markets; a “new cultural vehicle” that breathes new life into intangible heritage; and a “new bridge” for global trade, linking Chinese manufacturing to the world. The future of new e-commerce isn’t about competing for attention, but about value symbiosis. It’s not about isolated technological advances, but about the coordinated growth of the entire ecosystem.
At this crucial moment, new e-commerce can only continue to thrive by breaking boundaries through technological innovation, building trust through responsible practices, and embracing change with openness, all while pursuing high-quality development.