An employee prepares packages for cross-border e-commerce orders at a warehouse in Lianyungang, Jiangsu province in October. [Photo by GENG YUHE/FOR CHINA DAILY]

That cross-border e-commerce has been gaining momentum in China is well known. But what is not so well known is that this relatively new format in international shopping is growing against odds like the COVID-19 pandemic. What’s more, it is instrumental in stabilizing and accelerating the development of foreign trade in an innovative way, industry experts said.

As a new form of foreign trade, cross-border e-commerce is expected to play a bigger role in accelerating the digitalization push of traditional small and medium-sized enterprises, they said.

Southwest China’s Guizhou province has recently established its first cross-border e-commerce college. The college was launched by Bijie Industry Polytechnic College and Guizhou Umfree Technology Co Ltd, a local cross-border e-commerce enterprise, with the aim of cultivating cross-border e-commerce talent in the province.

Li Yong, Party secretary of Bijie Industry Polytechnic College, said the college would not only bolster the development of cross-border e-commerce in Bijie but also help build brands of agricultural products and promote rural revitalization.

The move is also of great significance for exploring a new cooperation mode between the education sector and business, transforming the training system of technical talent and enriching vocational education, Li said. At present, the cross-border e-commerce curriculum covers big data, e-commerce, digital media and information security.

In January, China issued a guideline to support Guizhou in breaking new ground in the country’s pursuit of fast development of its western regions in the new era. The guideline, released by the State Council, China’s Cabinet, underscored the importance of promoting the construction of an inland open-economy pilot zone and developing the digital economy.

Digital transformation has emerged as a key pathway to hedge against the impact of the pandemic on traditional trade, Zhang said, noting more and more enterprises have attached great importance to cross-border e-commerce as it becomes a vital channel for foreign trade enterprises to access new markets.

China’s cross-border e-commerce, which features online marketing, online transactions and contactless payments, has been growing exponentially over the past few years, particularly during the last two years when the pandemic impeded business travel and face-to-face contact.

The Ministry of Finance and seven other central departments on Monday issued an announcement to optimize and adjust the imported retail goods list for cross-border e-commerce from March 1.

A total of 29 commodities with strong demand from consumers in recent years, such as ski equipment, dishwashers and tomato juice, have been added to the imported products list, said the announcement.

Earlier this month, the State Council approved setting up more cross-border e-commerce pilot zones in 27 cities and regions as the government seeks to stabilize foreign trade and investments.

The import and export volume of China’s cross-border e-commerce totaled 1.98 trillion yuan ($311.5 billion) in 2021, up 15 percent year-on-year, according to the General Administration of Customs. E-commerce exports stood at 1.44 trillion yuan, an increase of 24.5 percent on a yearly basis.