Illustration: Xia Qing/GT

In early December, fresh Chilean cherries crossed the Pacific and arrived in China. Behind these small red fruits lies a steadily improving import system that coordinates port operations, long-haul shipping, customs clearance, and domestic distribution. More than a seasonal shipment, their journey illustrates the growing scale and sophistication of China's import logistics sector and highlights the structural forces driving its ongoing development.

According to CCTV News on Wednesday, fresh Chilean cherries arrived in Hong Kong on a cargo vessel on Tuesday and were then transported by truck to Shenzhen Bay Port. CCTV News reported that this shipment was China's first batch of Chilean cherries transported by sea for the 2025-2026 season.

The story begins earlier. It was reported that on November 19, the Chilean government announced the start of the 2025-2026 season for seaborne cherry exports. According to a report on xinhuanet.com, to ensure the fruit arrives in China fresh, Chile introduced a direct sea route - the "cherry express" - in 2018, cutting the transit time from 30 days to 23. This year, Chile has further strengthened the cherry express, scheduling 32 direct sailings, twice as many as last year.

Cherries are highly perishable, and their freshness window is short. Maintaining quality along the import logistics chain requires careful coordination at every stage, from port handling and cold-chain management to the efficiency of customs procedures. Once cleared, Chilean cherries are typically distributed to supermarkets, wholesale produce markets, and online retail channels. On China's e-commerce platforms, the fruit has already entered its high-demand season.

The Chilean cherry trade operates through a highly coordinated import logistics chain, with each link - from port handling and cold-chain transport to distribution across supermarkets and e-commerce platforms - working in close alignment. This system was not built overnight; it took years of incremental improvements and sustained investment to reach its current level of precision. At its core, the driving force behind this development is the scale of China's consumer demand, which has grown large enough to support a dedicated long-distance supply chain for a single type of perishable fruit.

According to CCTV News, data from Chile's ministry of agriculture showed that 93 percent of Chile's cherry exports go to China, and 90 percent of fresh cherries are transported by sea. These figures reflect the steady demand of China's consumer market, which provides a reliable destination for Chilean cherries and supports the long-distance supply chain that brings the fruit to China.

In recent months, some foreign media outlets have questioned China's import capacity, suggesting that domestic consumption is weakening. This narrative does not reflect the reality on the ground. Even a single cherry - a small item among the wide range of imported goods - offers a clear counterexample. 

Businesses are among the most sensitive observers of economic activity; without genuine consumer demand in China, it would be difficult to justify the establishment of a dedicated import logistics chain, which requires substantial investment and careful coordination. The consistent functioning of this logistics chain for Chilean cherries in itself demonstrates that consumer demand in China is both significant and sustained.

The journey of Chilean cherries provides a revealing glimpse into the broader potential of China's consumer market. This is not merely a story of rising consumption; it reflects a deeper transformation. As living standards rise, Chinese consumers are becoming increasingly discerning, placing greater value on quality, freshness, and safety - driving strong and sustained demand for high-quality imported products.

Importing such high-quality goods, particularly perishable items such as fruit, is far more complex than simply increasing volume. It requires sophisticated cold-chain logistics, dedicated shipping routes, efficient port handling, and seamless distribution networks. China's import logistics systems are evolving rapidly and comprehensively, shaped by real market forces and genuine consumer demand. This dynamic demonstrates that some foreign commentators' pessimistic assessments of China's import capacity are fundamentally misplaced.

The case of Chilean cherries also illustrates how this potential is being translated into tangible outcomes. Companies that invest in efficient supply chains and logistics can meet demand reliably, turning consumer interest into real trade flows. This, in turn, highlights not only the resilience but also the growing sophistication of China's consumption ecosystem.

At a deeper level, the upgrading of import logistics reflects the broader evolution of Chinese consumption - more precise, higher quality, and increasingly value-driven. In this context, the cherries provide a window into the scale, structure, and enduring strength of China's import market.

The author is a reporter with the Global Times. bizopinion@globaltimes.com.cn