China to build 15 national logistics hubs in 2019

BEIJING -- China will start building about 15 national logistics hubs this year in its bid to build a nation-wide logistics hub network.

In principle, The national logistics hubs will be built on existent logistics hubs which have a sound infrastructure, strong market demand and huge growth potential, according to an implementation plan released by the National Development and Reform Commission and the Ministry of Transport.

The two ministries will determine the locations of the first batch of national logistics hubs based on the demand of the development under national strategies like the Yangtze River economic belt and local government plans.

China aims to build about 30 national logistics hubs by 2020, and 150 by 2025, when the ratio of total logistics expenses to GDP will be reduced to about 12 percent.

The country's logistics volume totaled 283.1 trillion yuan ($42.14 trillion) in 2018, up 6.4 percent year on year. The ratio of total logistics expenses to GDP stood at 14.8 percent.