(Yicai Global) Nov. 10 -- Cainiao Network, the logistics unit of Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba Group Holding, has opened the first part of its logistics center at the Liege Airport in Belgium that will serve as an important hub for cross-border trade between China and Europe.

The 30,000-square-meter warehouse, which has now been put into operation, was solely designed by Belgian architects, the Hangzhou-based firm said on Nov. 8. It comprises a 12,000 sqm air freight area and 18,000 sqm sorting center.

The Liege smart logistics hub, which will be Cainiao’s biggest distribution center in Europe, is part of Alibaba’s Electronic World Trade Platform, a global initiative aimed to lower barriers to global trade for small- and medium-sized enterprises. It offers logistics, financing, cloud computing and mobile payment services to help vendors access new markets.

"The launch of the Cainiao Liege eWTP hub is a perfect example of the expertise developed by Belgium’s Walloon airports and their worldwide reputation in logistics, " said Jean-Luc Crucke, Minister for Budget, Finance, Airports and Sports Infrastructure in the Walloon region where the airport is located.

Once finished, the hub will cover 220,000 sqm, of which nearly 120,000 sqm will be warehouses. Independently operated by Cainiao, it will bring the logistics giant closer to achieving its goal of delivering anywhere within the globe in 72 hours.

Editor: Kim Taylor