■Co-Building the'Belt and Road'—The Second International Procurement Conference of Linyi Mall"
Yimeng:A Revolutionary Old District That Never Walks the'Beaten Path'
Recently,domestic tourists have flocked to the tourism area of the hometown of the Red Sister in Shandong,participating in the wildly popular immersive red experience projects.Meanwhile,thousands of international buyers from63countries and regions have gathered at Linyi Mall to engage in trade negotiations and facilitate the smooth flow of domestic and international commerce.
Unlike other red landmarks,the development of the Yimeng Old District began with commerce and then expanded into logistics,achieving prosperity through"buying globally and selling globally."This represents a remarkable transformation for Yimeng,which has a history of being"isolated with impassable roads,where foreign goods do not enter and local products do not exit."
The flowing Yihe River marks the history and starting point of Yimeng.Today's Linyi,flourishing and vibrant,is guided by the spirit of Yimeng.Currently,Yimeng is leading the way among revolutionary old districts in poverty alleviation and development,becoming a powerful front-runner in the economy of old districts.How has Linyi transformed from an isolated revolutionary old district to a bustling"Logistics Capital"?Let’s explore further.
Accelerating Iteration,Sustaining Commercial Advantages
In mid-autumn,as the coolness gradually sets in,the landscape remains rich in deep greens and soft yellows.On the second floor of the Linyi University History Museum,the Beihai Bank Museum quietly awaits the arrival of visitors and students.
"In1941,Beihai Bank began production at its printing factory in Yinan County,printing the first batch of banknotes including the five-dime'Tall Building,'the one-yuan'Train,'and the five-yuan'Temple of Heaven,'all stamped with'Shandong,'"the museum guide explained.As the largest bank led by during wartime,the headquarters of Beihai Bank was stationed in the Yimeng mountainous area and established the printing factory.
As I look at the banknotes filled with historical traces,I can almost see the"currency war"without gunfire during the Anti-Japanese War.“At that time,we used trade,production,and currency to eliminate the economic crisis,allowing the Beihai currency to achieve unified circulation in the provincial base,significantly strengthening the economic power of the base,”said the museum director.“Under the leadership and education of the Party,the people of Yimeng gained a better understanding of commerce and trade and did not reject engaging in business.”
Returning to the1980s,Linyi Mall started from a"small stall"in the western suburbs,where a spark of commerce ignited a bustling market throughout the city,enabling the Yimeng Old District to rise with the winds of reform and opening up,raising the banner of"Commerce Thriving in the City."
Those who do not innovate will inevitably fall behind.Over the past40years of development,Linyi Mall has undergone five generations of market transformation,with131specialized wholesale markets covering27major categories and over six million types of goods.The trade model has also shifted from traditional markets to a blend of online and offline integration,keeping pace with the wave of digital development.
As a homegrown enterprise in Linyi,Shandong Liansheng Sports Industry Co.,Ltd.started from a small street stall and is now the leader in sales within its industry.“Dear family and friends,this is an intelligent push-up board,which is very suitable for home workouts…”The company’s chairman,Song Liansheng,who is over60years old,often live streams on Kuaishou,promoting the organic integration of physical and online markets while enhancing the specialized development of e-commerce.“Businesses must keep pace with the times and continuously create new paths and open new markets,”he says.
On October11,in the warehouse-style exhibition hall of Shandong Haodabao Supply Chain Co.,Ltd.,which spans thousands of square meters,employees dressed in blue uniforms push carts back and forth among the shelves,assembling hair accessories,jewelry,toys,and other small items according to orders,then packaging them for customers.“We have more than30,000kinds of small products,and there are over500scattered orders every day just from this exhibition hall,”an employee from Haodabao introduced.
Haodabao has also experienced multiple iterations of trade methods.“In the first phase,we simply sold products through wholesale.Then we started doing‘whole store output,’where we provided comprehensive designs for‘2-yuan stores’and‘10-yuan stores,’including store decoration,shelving,lighting,and products,and then sold the entire store to retailers,transitioning from selling products to selling services,while also selling products,”said General Manager Geng Yanzhou.The company now has over10,000small merchants and more than3,000retailers that benefit from the‘whole store output’model.
“Since we began the‘whole store output’business in2018,our annual sales volume has increased by several times,”Geng Yanzhou said.For small commodity retail types like‘2-yuan stores’and‘10-yuan stores,’Linyi is at the forefront in terms of customer base,sales scale,and market share in China.“We are extending this retail model to Southeast Asia and Central Asia,”he added.
Embracing“transaction e-commerce and market digitization”has brought about“immediate visible”improvements in quality,cost reduction,and efficiency for Linyi’s commerce.
In recent years,Linyi has optimized and improved its e-commerce ecosystem,establishing56various e-commerce parks and housing210,000e-commerce enterprises.It has the highest number of registered users on Kuaishou in the country,with transaction volumes ranking among the top three nationwide.A number of leading live-streaming e-commerce enterprises,such as Shunhe Group,Lanhua Group,and Hongrenli,have emerged,making Linyi the largest live-streaming e-commerce base in Northern China.From January to July this year,the Linyi market achieved a transaction volume of379.172billion yuan,a year-on-year increase of8.3%.
Western Migration Upgrade:A Trillion-Yuan Logistics Goal Awaits
On the afternoon of October12,in the logistics operation live broadcast room at Lantian Smart Logistics Port,Jia Qingtai,the manager of Zhonglian Jiuan Logistics Company,recalled his visit to the logistics industry in Linyi over a decade ago.
On November25,2013,General Secretary Xi Jinping visited the Jinlan Logistics Base,where he learned about logistics orders and operational efficiency at Zhonglian Logistics Company.He also shook hands with unloading workers and inquired about their income and living conditions,expressing that Linyi’s logistics was thriving and that there was great potential for modern logistics,stating,“The future is promising.”
“At that time,our logistics base infrastructure was still relatively rudimentary,primarily consisting of canopy roofs and temporary office structures.Each logistics outlet was merely a row of stalls,and logistics operations were limited to traditional activities like receiving and dispatching goods,”Jia recalled.He noted that over the years,the people of Linyi have kept his words in mind,pushing for the transformation of the marketplace and the upgrading of logistics,thereby reshaping Linyi’s new development advantages.
The thriving commerce has spurred prosperity across various industries.In the1990s,with the flourishing of trade in Linyi,the logistics industry began to develop.Over the past30years,Linyi's logistics has evolved from the initial use of urban and rural passenger transport lines for freight to owning more than30logistics parks and nearly3,000logistics routes covering all county-level cities nationwide,reaching all ports and entry points.The logistics costs are20%to30%lower than the national average,establishing the pattern of“Yiwu in the south,Linyi in the north.”
By2023,the title of"Northern Logistics Capital"has become well-known,not only driving the prosperity of the local economy but also providing robust momentum for the development of surrounding regions.However,in the city,many logistics parks have become increasingly integrated into the core areas of Linyi.Issues such as traffic congestion,overcrowding,and narrow roads,along with inadequate supporting facilities in these parks,make it imperative for the logistics industry to upgrade.
To this end,the Linyi Municipal Party Committee and the municipal government have made a strategic plan for the"Modern Logistics City."They have planned an area of176square kilometers in the western part of the city for the construction of the Modern Logistics City,which includes four major zones:the International Land Port,Linyi Commercial Valley,Industrial Base,and Riverside Residential Area.The goal is to"achieve initial results and establish the city within one year."
On July1,2024,with the opening of12logistics parks,including the newly established Lantian Smart Logistics Port and Zhonglian Smart Logistics Park,the long-anticipated Linyi logistics westward relocation plan has commenced.A total of39logistics parks and nearly1,700logistics companies are gradually moving into their“new home”—the International Land Port Area of Linyi Modern Logistics City,located adjacent to the western side of the Beijing-Shanghai Expressway.
“Look here,the departure area is9meters high,and the roads are wide,making loading and unloading convenient,”said Wang Kailiang,the head of Zhongda Kailiang Logistics Company at Lantian Smart Logistics Port,as he introduced the company’s logistics route from Linyi to Fujian,which can dispatch nearly3,000loads(trips)of goods each year.“Since our relocation,the preparation time for trucks before departure has significantly decreased,and the quality of logistics services has improved.We are also continuously expanding our customer base,”he added.
On another side,Shandong Lianke Logistics has moved its headquarters to the office building at Lantian Smart Logistics Port.“Our company collaborates with JD.com,China Post,and others,with logistics services covering Linyi and surrounding provinces and cities.In the near future,several of our branches will gradually move to Linyi,”said Jiao Chunka,the general manager of Lianke Logistics.He emphasized that Linyi's logistics advantages are substantial,and having the headquarters located here is beneficial for integrating business resources.
The transformation of commerce has generated new logistics demands,and Linyi's traditional routes are evolving towards modern diversification.
At4PM,Lantian Smart Logistics Port is bustling with traffic but remains quiet."In addition to innovations in infrastructure,such as'warehouse-to-transportation,'our most important goal is to build an integrated operation service platform called'Business-Warehouse-Logistics-Park,'utilizing smart management for the area.The entire park,with over500merchants and more than400logistics routes,is monitored by378cameras,allowing the command center to'manage'the whole area,"explained Huang Bingxue,the logistics port manager.
On the real-time display at Lantian Smart Logistics Port,the red lines represent aerial logistics channels,yellow lines indicate maritime logistics channels,and white lines depict land logistics channels.These colorful lines extend outward from Linyi.Ma Aixi,the deputy general manager of the logistics port,noted that Lantian Smart Logistics Port is actively promoting a multimodal transport model that organically combines road,rail,waterway,and air transport,creating a complementary and highly efficient logistics system.The goal is to establish the largest multimodal transport demonstration hub in the Yuzhou,Anhui,Jiangsu,and Shandong regions.
From January to July this year,Linyi Commercial City achieved a total logistics value of555.433billion yuan.In the face of the logistics industry’s goal of exceeding one trillion yuan,the westward relocation is merely a new starting point at a higher level.
As it welcomes and sends off goods,Linyi Commercial City is making significant strides toward internationalization.
"Welcoming guests from all directions and delivering goods across the seas"is indeed a gratifying scene reflecting the rapid progress of Linyi Commercial City's"International Mall"development this year.
On June14,2024,the Linyi Mall Overseas Buyers Trade Fair(Kazakhstan Session)was held,where30buyers from seven cities in Kazakhstan engaged in cooperation discussions with enterprises from Linyi Mall.A total of62cooperation intentions were reached,and11cooperation agreements were signed,resulting in an intended transaction amount exceeding10million yuan.
Since the beginning of this year,Linyi has utilized its22international buyer service centers and offices to actively organize"Foreign Merchants Entering the Mall"activities,hosting30international buyer events and receiving over800foreign guests and buyers.On October17,the second Linyi Mall International Buyers Conference,under the theme of jointly building the"Belt and Road,"will be held with great fanfare.
On September6,with the command to"depart,"eight containers loaded with high-quality products from Linyi set off from the Lanhua International Brand Furniture Expo Center,traveling from Linyi to Qingdao Port for shipment to Malaysia.This marked the first batch of high-quality products from Linyi entering the Lanhua(Malaysia)Overseas Mall for display and sale.
As an important part of Linyi Mall's internationalization strategy,our city is accelerating the construction of the cross-border e-commerce comprehensive pilot zone.In the first half of this year,a total of271cross-border e-commerce companies were incubated.Among them,the Ali International Station added220companies,representing a year-on-year increase of31%,the highest growth rate in the country,bringing the total to2,163.Amazon registered a cumulative total of1,200companies.From January to July,the foreign trade import and export volume of Linyi Mall reached50.43billion yuan,with market procurement trade exports accounting for31.06billion yuan and cross-border e-commerce transaction volume reaching16.57billion yuan.
The internationalization of the mall relies heavily on robust logistics support.While consolidating and enhancing traditional road logistics,Linyi is vigorously developing multimodal transport and actively promoting new business formats such as card shipping,TIR(Transports Internationaux Routiers),and low-altitude logistics,effectively forming a comprehensive and modern logistics system that integrates road,rail,sea,and air transport.
On May9th,within the customs supervision area of the Jizhong Logistics Park,four Linyi Euro-International Logistics container trucks successfully completed a consolidated shipping operation,loaded with goods procured from Linyi Mall,and set off for Bishkek,Kyrgyzstan,located5,500kilometers away.Seven days later,the goods arrived in the hands of foreign merchants.This was the first direct cross-border road transport shipment based on the"TIR model+market procurement trade"dual policy for consolidated shipping.
As of now,our city has developed four TIR enterprises and39dedicated vehicles,serving over30foreign trade companies and dispatching82truckloads with a total value of120million yuan.
"The strength of Linyi logistics has always been in road logistics,and we hope to further strengthen international road logistics to maintain and expand this advantage,"said the person in charge of Linyi Mall.Our city has identified200dedicated line enterprises as the key focus for cultivating international road logistics in the next phase.
(Reporter:Wang Shanshan,Zhuang Huaixi,Wang Qinglong)
