Hongqiao pilot zone connects Yangtze River Delta manufacturers to global markets

The Hongqiao "Cross-Border E-commerce + Industrial Belt" Pilot Zone in Shanghai has attracted 568 companies and recorded more than 15.7 billion yuan ($2.34 billion) in cross-border e-commerce transactions since its launch in July 2025, according to the zone.

Located in Shanghai Hongqiao International Central Business District, the pilot zone brings together products from industrial clusters across the Yangtze River Delta region for warehousing, customs clearance, shipment, and sale overseas.

The initiative focuses on five industrial belts: smart manufacturing, smart home products, fashion and cosmetics, health and leisure, and industrial goods. It aims to connect the region's manufacturing capacity with Hongqiao's trade, logistics, and international business services.

A major breakthrough came in 2025, when the zone handled Shanghai's first 9810 sea-freight shipment under the cross-border e-commerce overseas warehouse export model. In the first half of 2026, the value of 9810 exports from Hongqiao increased to nearly 215 times the level a year earlier. The 9810 model allows companies to ship goods to overseas warehouses through cross-border e-commerce channels.

The zone has also built a cross-border e-commerce consolidation warehouse equipped with an AI inspection system. It provides services including customs declaration assistance, compliance guidance, tax refund support, training, and overseas market matchmaking.

According to Zhu Hui, general manager of the pilot zone, the initiative helps traditional manufacturers move beyond contract manufacturing and develop their own overseas sales channels and brands.

Looking ahead, the zone plans to expand its sea-freight consolidation services, explore digitalized cross-border supervision, and strengthen cooperation with public service platforms and industrial clusters across the Yangtze River Delta region.