Overview of International Express

International express delivery refers to express and logistics services completed between two or more countries (or regions) through customs inspection and transshipment. Its standard English translation, International Express Service, was determined on December 1, 2017. Major modes of transportation include air, sea, rail, and multimodal transport. Major service providers include international express companies such as DHL and UPS. Prohibited items include perishable food, dangerous goods, and currency.

After arriving in the destination country, international express shipments require further transshipment to complete final delivery. In 2023, the volume of international/Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan express delivery reached 3.07 billion pieces, increasing to 3.87 billion pieces in 2024 (accounting for 2.2% of the total express delivery volume), a year-on-year increase of 26.3%.

International express transportation involves transnational policies, multi-stage collaboration, and timeliness requirements, and must comply with the customs regulations and logistics standards of various countries. China continues to promote the construction of its international postal and delivery system, having cumulatively built 312 overseas distribution centers and over 300 overseas warehouses, and opened multiple international air routes.

In 2023, Cainiao, in partnership with AliExpress, launched the "Global 5-Day Delivery" international express delivery service, enabling parcels from China to Europe to be delivered in as little as 5 business days. In 2024, plans were made to further promote "express delivery going global," strengthening cross-border air transport capabilities and expanding overseas network coverage. On March 5, 2026, the "2026 Government Work Report of the State Council" proposed strengthening the construction of the international postal and logistics system, expanding intermediate goods trade, developing digital trade and green trade, and upgrading border trade.