"Global Vision and Chengdu Story" unlocks the code to Chengdu's opening-up. This edition introduces La Poste DPD Group in Qingbaijiang District.

Statistics of Chengdu Customs show that the value of freight transported by China Railway Express in the first 5 months of this year reached 21.17 billion RMB, an increase of 21.6% over the same period last year.

As the Express thrives in Chengdu, it delivers a mighty boost to La Poste DPD. This year marks the 60th anniversary of the establishment of bilateral ties between China and France. As the economic and trade exchanges between these two countries deepen, DPD will be full steam ahead in expanding its business in China.

DPD is affiliated with La Poste, a Fortune Global 500 enterprise. It entered Chinese market in 2019 and its main business includes international and domestic package delivery, warehousing, and Customs brokerage. It is committed to growing into the top package express delivery network across the globe. Currently, it operates in 15 Chinese cities including Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Chengdu. In 2023, it set up a wholly-owned subsidiary in Qingbaijiang District.

A Bridge Connecting Asia and Europe Strengthens the China-Europe Trade Link

It is no coincidence that DPD chose to operate in Chengdu. As the central city in West China and a new inland opening-up highland,Chengdu promises bright prospects for La Poste DPD as it expands its cross-border e-commerce logistics business from China to Europe and Southeast Asia.

It is understood that the customized express service "La Poste DPD" has  transported 1,230 containers in the one year since its launch, covering European countries including Poland, Germany, France, Italy, etc. The declared value of exported goods amounts to 700 million RMB.

Ma Zhipeng (Jacky Ma), General Manager of Strategy Center of La Poste DPD China noted that with positive market feedback, they built on the sound cooperation with Qingbaijiang District Government and increased in May the monthly running times of DPD Railway Service from 2 to 4.  

As the service frequency increases, the trade link between China and Europe is deepened, injecting fresh impetus into the economy of both sides. Joining hands with DPD, Chengdu is penning a story of turning a lowland into highland, an inland city into a gateway city.

Opening a New Epoch for Logistics and Building International Supply Chains

The partnership between DPD and Chengdu not only represents a collaboration in logistics, but marks a major milestone in enhancing international supply chain and developing global logistical channels.

Tapping into the advantage of China Railway Express and the pan-Europe delivery network and rich international logistical resources of DPD, Qingbaijiang District and La Poste DPD are jointly building a cross-border e-commerce distribution center and service network which are based in Chengdu, catering to the whole country, and reaching out to the whole world. They set their sights on attracting quality cross-border e-commerce enterprises around the world to invest in Chengdu and therefore contributing to the high-quality growth of Chengdu’s foreign trade.

Ma Zhipeng told reporters that DPD had built in Chengdu its West China IT Center taking advantage of Chengdu’s vast number of higher education institutions and open business environment. "We see a future in which the Chengdu Center becomes our nationwide IT center." said Ma.  

On June 5, the Fifth Plenary Session of the 14th CPC Chengdu Committee was convened. The Session emphasized that it was imperative to gather pace in developing open economy, inviting foreign investment, raising foreign trade efficiency, and enhancing Chengdu’s function as a hub city. This reassuring message is music to the ears of DPD. It does lift their spirits.

As their cooperation gathers momentum, DPD and Chengdu will join forces in supply chain finance, cross-border e-commerce, international trade, etc., helping companies based in Chengdu and even in West China to go global in an unprecedented fashion.

Code to Opening-Up

Code 1: Capacity and Accountability

Qingbaijiang District introduced the first asking responsibility system to respond to and resolve companies' concerns swiftly. By so doing they put in place an efficient and convenient government service system which answers the demands of the people. Further more, the District rolled out 10 Measures to Improve Cross-border Trade Facilitation and Help Companies Cut Costs and Boost Efficiency (Link: Attention! 10 Measures to Improve Cross-border Trade Facilitation and Help Companies Cut Costs and Boost Efficiency), effectively raising the efficiency and cutting the costs of Customs clearance.

Code 2: Steadiness and Convenience

As the key growing region of the city, Chengdu International Land Port Area focuses on major industries like international  trade, international supply chain, and intelligent manufacture to grow industrial clusters. Chengdu International Railway Service came up with the Chengdu-Europe "5 Fixes" express service model (fixed stations, fixed routes, fixed train service numbers, fixed departure and arrival times, fixed prices) to provide steady and reliable logistical solutions.

Code 3: Time and Momentum

The Fifth Plenary Session of the 14th CPC Chengdu Committee stressed the need to build the hub coordination capacity required to develop open economy and increase bidirectional configuration, creating an open business environment for La Poste DPD. At the same time, Chengdu proactively expands trade collaboration with countries joining the Belt & Road Initiative, increasing the mutual-connectivity with Europe, the Middle East and Southeast Asia through multi-modal transport including international railway service.

Once upon a time, the camel bells clink-clanking on the silk road bore testimony to a poem by Zhang Jiuling, a poet of Tang Dynasty:

“True friendship fears no distance,

which is nothing when our hearts are close.”

Today, the 60th anniversary of bilateral ties means a new beginning for China and France. Little by little, Chengdu and DPD are strengthening the traditional bond of concord and harmony, passed from generation to generation dating back millennia. With hand in hand, they will put in place an international cooperation platform featuring openness, inclusiveness and sharing.