China's express delivery firms venture overseas

The first reshuffle among Chinese logistics companies occurred from 2006 to 2008 when China's e-commerce business had just taken off. Those who failed to take chances were squeezed out of the market, Yu Weijiao, president of YTO, said in an interview with 21st Century Business Herald earlier last month.

China's express industry is currently dominated by seven major players: State-owned China Postal Express& Logistics Co Ltd and six private competitors, which are mainly engaged in delivering e-commerce parcels.

But as the profit margin narrows down to less than 1 yuan per parcel, Chinese delivery enterprises are looking for new growth points. Seeing cross-border e-commerce as a new opportunity, they have accelerated their steps to lay out international delivery networks.

Last September, Yunda unveiled an English service website to facilitate delivering products from the United States to China.

STO is set to launch its US-version service this month to meet people's growing appetite for overseas products, and ZTO obtained approval to provide international delivery services last year

Ma Si contributed to this story.