(Yicai Global) July 23 – Alibaba Group Holdings’ international platform transacted 80 percent more business in the first half of this year compared with a year earlier, well above the sector average, according to the China Daily.

Orders placed nearly doubled in the six months ended June, while the number of buyers popped 60 percent, the report said, citing data Alibaba International Station released today.

Transactions surged as the coronavirus epidemic sparked a rush to online shopping around the world, the report added.

In the same period, China’s cross-border e-commerce trade jumped 26 percent, while the value of foreign trade fell 3.2 percent, according to figures published earlier by the General Administration of Customs.

The US, the UK and Germany were the top three contributors to Alibaba International’s transaction volume, with growth of 91 percent for the US, 117 percent for the UK, and 107 percent for Germany. Its sites in 68 countries and regions saw growth more than double.

The expansion in emerging markets was impressive, with six of the 10 countries in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations in Alibaba’s top 30 for transaction volume. Thailand came eighth, ranking highest among the six, with Laos the fastest growing at 168 percent. The figures come after China’s customs authority said ASEAN had surpassed the European Union for the first time to become China’s largest trading partner in the first half.

Since China was the first country to reboot its economy after the virus outbreak, it already understood the demand trend in overseas markets at different stages of the epidemic, said Zhang Kuo, general manager of Alibaba International. The authorities helped traders prepare and secure orders with a clear direction, he added.

Online exhibitions also played an important role in the growth of orders. Alibaba International will hold 20 online exhibitions this year, and digital tools, including online streaming, video meetings and 3D shows, are being widely used, Zhang said.

Editor: Peter Thomas