According to the Ministry of Commerce website, China's e-commerce industry achieved steady development in 2025 and has remained the world's largest online retail market for 13 consecutive years. Relevant person in charge of the E-commerce Department of the Ministry of Commerce briefed on the development of China's e-commerce industry in 2025.

Online retail has boosted people's livelihood and enhanced empowerment. Policy documents on developing digital consumption were issued and implemented, and the "4+N" online consumption expansion campaigns such as the Online Spring Festival Shopping Festival were held, driving 10 platforms to launch more than 80 initiatives for fostering high-quality e-commerce. Digital products have become a highlight of commodity consumption. According to data from the National Bureau of Statistics, the online retail sales of physical goods in China rose by 5.2% in 2025, contributing 36.2% to the growth of total retail sales of consumer goods.

Monitored by the commercial big data, the online retail sales of digital products such as mobile phones and intelligent robots increased by 20.5% and 18% respectively. E-commerce has empowered service consumption: commercial big data showed that online service consumption grew by 22% in 2025, among which the online retail sales of sports events, tourism products and in-store catering featuring online ticket purchase and offline experience surged by 63.3%, 40.6% and 23.7% respectively.

Industrial e-commerce has benefited enterprises and strengthened driving effects. The "Digital Business Empowers Agriculture" initiative expanded to Guangxi, Sichuan, Ningxia and Shandong, deepening the connection between platforms and agricultural product enterprises and cooperatives. The "e-commerce + industrial belt" model was continuously advanced, and nearly 500 enterprise-benefiting matchmaking events helped both supply and demand sides deepen cooperation in order matching, production capacity undertaking and digital-intelligent transformation, enabling the e-commerce industrial and supply chains to better serve the sinking market.

Monitored by the commercial big data, the online retail sales in rural areas and of agricultural products across China increased by 6.7% and 9.9% respectively in 2025, while the e-commerce transaction volume of the textile and pharmaceutical industries rose by 6.6% and 3.8% respectively. In addition, e-commerce has driven the rapid development of logistics and express delivery, communication software, artificial intelligence and other sectors. According to data from the State Post Bureau, China's express delivery business volume grew by 11.5% in 2025; data from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology showed that China's mobile internet traffic increased by 17% and the revenue of cloud computing and big data services rose by 12.8% in the first 11 months of 2025.

Silk Road E-commerce has benefited the world and promoted win-win cooperation. In 2025, China established new Silk Road E-commerce cooperation mechanisms with Kenya, Bangladesh and Egypt, and upgraded the mechanism with Kazakhstan, bringing the total number of partner countries to 36. The Shanghai Silk Road E-commerce Cooperation Pilot Zone developed and promoted 12 institutional innovation achievements such as cross-border mutual recognition of digital identities. A total of 40 Silk Road E-commerce events for global benefit covered more than 100 countries, securing over 240 cooperation intentions and building nearly 140 online and offline national pavilions, helping partner countries share in China's huge market.

Monitored by the commercial big data, the retail sales of key cross-border e-commerce import platforms increased by 5.6% in 2025. The 4th Global Digital Trade Expo attracted 1,812 enterprises from 154 countries and regions, hitting a new record in scale. It featured 382 premier launches, debuts and exhibitions, a nearly 90% increase, making e-commerce contributions to advancing inclusive and win-win economic globalization.

Source: Chinanews.com