China’s logistics sector maintained steady momentum in the first quarter (Q1) of 2026, with major indicators posting solid growth, according to data released by the China Federation of Logistics and Purchasing.

From January to March, China’s total social logistics value came in at 96.4 trillion yuan (about US$14 trillion), up 6.2% year on year based on comparable prices. The growth rate accelerated by 1.1 percentage points from the full-year level in 2025 and by 0.5 percentage points from the first quarter of 2025, respectively, the federation said.

The industrial sector was the biggest driver of logistics growth. The value of industrial goods logistics rose 5.8% year on year, contributing more than 80 percent of the increase in total social logistics value over the period. Within the sector, manufacturing accounted for over 80% of logistics demand.

According to Xinhua, data also showed steady growth in logistics related to people’s livelihoods in the first three months of 2026, as emerging consumption trends continued to add fresh momentum. During the period, China’s online retail sales rose 7.5% year on year, accounting for 24.8 percent of total retail sales of consumer goods.