In a strategic push to accelerate the internationalization of its commerce sector, Linyi in Shandong province is leveraging the Belt and Road Initiative to evolve from a national trading hub into a global one.

"In 2025, we organized 1,667 enterprises to explore overseas markets in countries involved in the Belt and Road Initiative and hosted 49,000 international buyers," Zhang Baoliang, a deputy to the 14th National People's Congress and Party secretary of Linyi, said. In 2025, 506 China-Europe freight trains arrived at or departed from the city, further strengthening Linyi's connectivity with overseas markets.

Linyi has also focused on developing overseas warehouses and promoting cross-border e-commerce, establishing a marketing network that now covers 30 countries.

These efforts are reinforced by events such as the RCEP (Shandong) Import Expo, which have helped create strong links between Linyi's supply chains and global procurement networks.

Zhang said that 104 such events were held in 2025, generating an intended transaction volume of 24.85 billion yuan ($3.6 billion).

Digitalization is serving as a new engine for this international expansion. Linyi has launched a big data platform for its commerce and logistics sector, integrating data across warehousing, distribution, and logistics — significantly improving the efficiency of matching vehicles, cargo, and personnel — resulting in an 11 percent reduction in costs.

Looking ahead, Zhang said Linyi is committed to positioning itself as a dual hub for international commodity distribution and logistics, aiming to transform itself from "China's Big Bazaar" into a "world-class supermarket".