Trucks and cranes are busy with container loading operations at a train depot in Jinhua, East China's Zhejiang Province, on February 8, 2026. According to statistics from the Hangzhou railway logistics center, the number of China-Europe freight trains moving in and out of Zhejiang reached 346 in January, a year-on-year increase of 13.1 percent. Photo: VCG

China’s logistics industry gained momentum in March, as reflected in improved sector data, buoyed by better coordination across upstream and downstream segments of the country’s industrial and supply chains and increased investment, state broadcaster CCTV News reported on Wednesday.

Data released by the China Federation of Logistics and Purchasing showed that the logistics performance index came in at 50.2 percent in March, up 2.7 percentage points from a month ago, with logistics activity becoming more active, the report said.

This trend showed that industrial and supply chains advanced in coordination across many upstream and downstream segments, with logistics investment increasing and market expectations improving, according to the report.

Sub-indices also rebounded across the board, with indicators including total business volume, new orders, inventory turnover, capital turnover, equipment utilization, employment and business expectations all posting notable month-on-month gains, the new data showed.

The Logistics Performance Index reflects overall changes in the development of the logistics sector. With 50 percent as the threshold, readings above 50 point to expansion in the sector, while those below 50 indicate contraction.

“The synchronized pickup in logistics volume and expectations reveals that supply chains are regaining efficiency more rapidly, underpinning industrial production and domestic demand,” Su Jian, a professor at Peking University’s School of Economics, told the Global Times on Wednesday, adding that smoother goods circulation will improve supply-demand matching and support stable economic operations.

According to the China Federation of Logistics and Purchasing, total business volume index rose to 50.2 percent, up 2.7 percentage points from February. Major sectors all recorded month-on-month improvement, with the railway transport sector at 54.4 percent, up 0.3 percentage points, while the air logistics index rose by 3.7 percentage points, the postal and express delivery index rose by 2.5 percentage points, and the road transport index went up by 3.1 percentage points.

The new data suggests that the recovery of the supply chain in the first quarter has been relatively solid, providing support for the rebound in logistics demand, the CCTV News report said.

Liu Yuhang, director of the China Logistics Information Center, was quoted by CCTV News as saying that the index’s return to expansion reflects clear improvement in key indicators, adding that logistics enterprises have strengthened their capabilities in digitalization and integrated supply chain services, helping sustain steady growth in the sector during the first quarter.

Investment in the logistics sector increased too. The index tracking fixed-asset investment stood at 51.4 percent, up 0.8 percentage points month-on-month, while the business activity expectations index reached 54.2 percent, up 3.2 percentage points, with most enterprises holding optimistic expectations for future development.

The improving logistics data are consistent with broader economic indicators. Earlier data from the National Bureau of Statistics showed that China’s manufacturing PMI rose to 50.4 in March, up 1.4 percentage points from February, which analysts said reflects the resilience of the Chinese economy.

Su said that improving logistics activity will support China’s efforts to build a more resilient supply chain and aid industrial efficiency, adding that policy support for infrastructure, digital logistics system and regional coordination will help consolidate economic growth momentum, especially as the country now focuses on the building of a modern industrial system centered on advanced manufacturing.

Global Times