Authentic products
For Chinese consumers in years and decades past, the only way to buy foreign products without leaving the country was purchasing through an agent. But this way of shopping was very slow, sometimes taking months, and there was no way to ensure authenticity. Furthermore, agents charged considerable markups for their products, Liu said, sending the entire sector into chaos.
A local shopper surnamed Cheng told the Global Times that, for the past several years, she has been using Chinese e-commerce platforms to purchase products from Europe, U.S. and Australia. Specifically, she uses Xiaohongshu and Koala to buy cosmetics and handbags from those countries.
She said she appreciates the discounted prices, which are far cheaper than the same products being sold at brick-and-mortar foreign stores in China, as well as its convenience. "I can place an order without going out the door," she said.
Liu agrees that e-commerce platforms have made shopping in China much more convenient. In the past, when she wanted something from abroad, she'd either have to wait for a friend to visit that country or wait weeks and even months for old-school Western e-retailers like Amazon to ship them. Today, anything can be had in a matter of days.
"Sometimes, when I watch TV shows and see stars wearing foreign-brand clothes, I just hop on a platform like Koala and buy the same outfit," she said, adding that due to Taobao's reputation for selling counterfeits, fakes and knockoffs, she'd prefer to pay a bit more for the peace of mind that a trusted seller provides.
Government policies support cross-border e-commerce by cutting down on costs and increasing efficiency, Wang said. The government offers a 30 percent tax discount for cross-border e-commerce platforms, which allows local consumers to enjoy authentic, high-quality products at affordable prices.
The government is also now allowing cross-border duty-free warehouses. Zhang Chao, deputy director of startup Xbniao.com, told media his company has benefited from these new governmental policies. An important feature of Xbniao, according to Zhang, is that it has overseas warehouses and operation centers, which allows them to ship products to 45 countries and regions around the world.
As the government supports Belt and Road construction, it also supports cross-border e-commerce companies establishing overseas warehouses along Belt and Road logistics hubs; platforms that already have warehouses, such as Xbniao, have a competitive edge.
There are problems that still need to be tackled. According to media reports, language is still a big barrier preventing Chinese companies from increasing their business in foreign countries through e-commerce. Media has reported on companies recruiting talents who speak the languages of smaller countries.
"It is shown that the government supports and encourages the development of cross-border e-commerce business and also regulates it," Wang said. "As policies improve and develop, the market is sure to welcome new development. Right now, the industry has become an important force in increasing domestic consumption and has obvious boosts on the domestic economy."
Belt & Road Best Sellers
Best-selling "Made-in-China" products along the B&R:
Cellphones, computers, Internet products, electronic components, furniture and textiles
Made-in-China products with the highest overseas sales growth:
Cars, food, sports products
B&R countries with the highest sales growth in China:
Lithuania, Montenegro, Bangladesh, Oman, Tajikistan
Best-selling products from B&R countries:
Food, wine, textiles, fruits, clocks and watches, sea food
