Xizang preps for parcel surge during year-end shopping season

The Xizang autonomous region is strengthening its delivery network and transport capacity to handle an expected surge in parcels during China's year-end online shopping season, regional postal authorities said on Tuesday.

Parcel deliveries during the 45-day peak period covering the annual Singles' Day shopping festival on Nov 11 and Dec 12 online shopping promotions are expected to reach 23.32 million, said Zou Hua, deputy director of the Xizang Postal Administration, at a news conference.

Daily deliveries are projected to peak at around 660,000 parcels on Nov 16, up 20 percent year-on-year, she said.

Winter snow and challenging transport conditions on the plateau could strain delivery capacity and increase the risk of delays, she said, adding that, to cope with the surge, postal authorities have instructed companies to increase staffing and transport capacity, optimize delivery schedules, and strengthen coordination along major routes and at county-level distribution centers.

Authorities have stepped up monitoring since Nov 1 and will strengthen consumer complaint handling and safety inspections to ensure timely and secure deliveries, she added.

The preparations come as Xizang continues to expand postal services in its rural and pastoral areas.

The region handled 156 million postal items in the first nine months of this year, including 28.83 million express parcels, up 5.7 percent year-on-year. Express delivery revenue rose 10.65 percent to 736 million yuan ($110 million), data from the administration showed.

All administrative villages in Xizang now have access to express delivery services, with 67.5 percent receiving deliveries at least five times a week. All villages in Lhasa, Shigatse, and Lhokha have reached that frequency.

By the end of October, upgrades to 98 percent of the region's 5,789 village-level delivery service stations had been completed, while improvements to 74 county-level distribution centers were progressing.

The region has also promoted the integration of passenger transport, freight, and postal services to improve delivery efficiency in remote areas. The initiative currently covers 24 counties and districts, involving 49 buses and 53 routes, and has handled more than 1.22 million parcels.

Zou said authorities would continue upgrading the delivery network linking counties, townships, and villages to provide more reliable services across the plateau.