China is expanding its national and regional policy frameworks to transition its e-commerce market from low-cost price competition toward data-driven innovation, artificial intelligence integration, and structured cross-border expansion.
Speaking at the 6th China New E-Commerce Conference in Jilin, Yang Wenya, a special expert at the Ministry of Commerce's China International Electronic Commerce Center, outlined a fundamental shift in how Chinese merchants operate globally.
"In the future, the growth logic of cross-border e-commerce will undergo three transformations: shifting from traffic-driven to data-driven, from a single platform to a multi-platform layout, and from low-cost competition to innovation-driven," Yang stated. She emphasized that "AI will reshape links such as product design, content production, and data analysis, significantly lowering the operational threshold of cross-border e-commerce".
This cross-border trajectory aligns with central directives, notably the "Guiding Opinions on Serving the Real Economy Better and Promoting High-Quality Development of E-Commerce," issued jointly by the Ministry of Commerce and five other central agencies. Operating under the statutory framework of the E-Commerce Law of the People's Republic of China—which regulates platform governance, intellectual property protection, merchant registration, and consumer privacy—the regulatory guidelines encourage regional governments to build digital industrial clusters while integrating emerging tools like instant retail and generative AI.
Provincial authorities are translating these central directives into direct financial and operational support. Shandong province recently introduced 16 specific measures targeting e-commerce expansion across five main pillars: enterprise cultivation, new business tracks, supply chain optimization, talent acquisition, and fiscal guarantees. The policy offers "model coupon" subsidies to firms deploying certified AI large language models, creates dedicated talent programs for live-stream creators, and expands access to specialized credit products such as "Qilu E-Commerce Loans".
"We hope through this series of measures to strengthen e-commerce entities, capture new tracks, optimize supply, gather talent, and solidify guarantees," said Cai Peian, deputy director of the Shandong Provincial Department of Commerce. Cai added that the initiative seeks to drive "more quality Shandong products to ride the 'cloud' and head overseas via digital means, enabling e-commerce to better empower industrial development, consumption upgrading, and a better life".
According to provincial data, Shandong’s online retail sales grew at an average annual rate of 11.7 percent under the 14th Five-Year Plan, surpassing 800 billion yuan ($112 billion) in 2025. By leveraging federal guidance and local capital guarantees, regional administrations aim to directly link local manufacturing hubs—including textiles, smart home appliances, and food processing—with global and domestic digital supply chains.
