(Yicai) Dec. 29 -- The number of packages delivered by Chinese couriers hit a new high this year. 

More than 120 billion parcels have been delivered by post offices and express delivery firms so far in 2023, according to the latest data from the State Post Bureau.

New business types, including livestream and cross-border e-commerce, will bring new growth opportunities for the country’s courier industry, a report by the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences also showed yesterday.

Livestream e-commerce grew 19 percent to CNY1.4 trillion (USD197 billion) last year, according to the report. Annual growth may stay in the double digits over the next three years, reaching CNY2.1 trillion in 2025, it predicted.

In addition, benefiting from rural digitalization and internet infrastructure building, the parcel delivery system has pushed into the rural market, with the rapid development of e-commerce in these regions likely to bring robust demand. The overseas business of courier firms will also bring growth.

Some franchise outlets have taken the initiative to use unmanned vehicles to enhance efficiency and reduce costs, said Qin Lei, vice president of Chinese logistics firm STO Express.

Editor: Martin Kadiev