The development of Chinese air express integrators

Abstract

Despite the significance of the China e-commerce economy and the rapidly increasing air express service, there are few publications on the development of Chinese integrators that are significant contributors to the e-commerce boom. This research explores the network development of China’s three integrators, namely, SF Express, TYO Express and China Post, and assesses the evolution of the networks during the pandemic period with the assistance of the complex network theory. It has been found that their networks underwent great development one year after the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak. Their domestic networks are compared with the networks of the world-class integrators in the EU. It appears that the Chinese integrators operate networks with both hub-and-spoke and point-to-point features at their principal hubs (Hangzhou and Shenzhen of SF express, and Nanjing of China Post). SF Express' network in the Chinese domestic market demonstrates different topological features from the ones of its Chinese counterparts and the foreign integrators in Europe, with fewer one-way flights and at a higher density.