On June 16, the Wuhan Optics Valley Technology Convention and Exhibition Center was crowded with people. The third China Optics Valley Cross-border E-commerce High-Quality Development Conference and AI+ Cross-border E-commerce Industry Ecological Matchmaking Conference kicked off here.
This industry event with the theme of “AI Empowers Industries, Ecosystem Links the World” is jointly hosted by Wuhan Cross-Border E-Commerce Association and Wuhan Yangtze River International Trade Group Co., Ltd. It brings together more than 500 industry elites including government representatives, global leading e-commerce platforms, foreign trade industry and trade companies, cross-border service providers, university experts and mainstream media. It is a high-profile, full-industry-chain annual event in the field of cross-border e-commerce in Central China.
Currently, cross-border e-commerce has grown from a “new business format” in foreign trade to a “powerful engine” for stable growth and optimized structure.
Wuhan has the country’s leading scientific and technological innovation resources, a solid manufacturing base, and the advantage of opening up the “nine-province thoroughfare”. It is accelerating the deep integration of “Wuhan Intelligent Manufacturing” and cross-border e-commerce, allowing “Hubei high-quality products” to cross the ocean from the shores of the Yangtze River.
At the opening ceremony of the conference, the words of Yao Wenping, executive deputy director of the Expert Committee of the China Council for the Promotion of International Investment, resonated: “Twenty years ago, cross-border e-commerce was a ‘small package’, but now it has split into multiple ecosystems such as ‘two countries, two parks’, live streaming e-commerce, and AI e-commerce.” In the face of a complex and ever-changing international environment, she called on the industry to rely on AI empowerment, break down barriers, broaden paths, and transform new productivity into new influence in the global market.
Zhang Senyi, chairman of the Cross-border E-commerce Working Committee of the China Investment Promotion Association, shared how to rely on data and technology to tailor full-link service solutions for overseas companies.
The topic sharing that followed became an “AI + cross-border” brainstorm.
Alibaba International Station analyzed the drastic changes in trade logic in the AI era, AliExpress drew a roadmap for “one-click overseas manufacturing” for Wuhan’s industrial belt, TikTok Shop dismantled the latest passwords of overseas short videos and live broadcast traffic, and Volcano Engine used digital models to demonstrate how AI can reduce costs and increase efficiency in the supply chain – every speech directly touched the anxiety of enterprises, and the audience applauded and shuttered.
The cross-border e-commerce display areas on both sides of the venue are filled with a lively and enthusiastic “cross-border fireworks”.
In front of the YQN Logistics booth, a map of the global layout of overseas warehouses attracted people’s attention – 18 self-operated warehouses across North America, Latin America and Europe, with a total area of more than 6 million square feet, with strongholds in the eastern United States, western United States, Mexico, Germany, etc.
The staff said with a smile: “Our warehouse is bigger than many football fields. Wayfair, Amazon, TEMU, SHEIN, etc. are all our ‘iron buddies’.”
Not far away, at the booth of Hubei Cup Tea Culture Technology Co., Ltd., the fragrance of tea floated out – dozens of varieties such as Jade Dew, Mist Green, Jasmine Tea, Cold Brew Tea, Rose Black Tea, etc. were lined up. The founder
Cheng Jun was busy pouring tea for the merchants. He raised a cup of cold brewed tea and said: “In the past, Hubei tea was ‘hidden in the boudoir.’ Now we want the world to fall in love with this ‘Jingchu fragrance’ and let every tea leaf find its way to the sea.” On one side is the hard-core “muscle” of overseas warehouses, and on the other is the gentle cultural “soft power.” Tradition and technology complement each other in the exhibition area, outlining the vitality of Hubei’s cross-border ecology.
On June 17, the conference will also focus on emerging potential regions such as North America, European mature markets and Russia, and hold special promotion and precise docking activities, from logistics, payment, compliance to localized operations, to “reduce the burden and add wings” for enterprises to go overseas.
This event is not only a release platform for industry trends, but also a “blind date” for resource docking – when AI meets cross-border, and when “Wuhan Intelligent Manufacturing” joins hands with the global market, Hubei is writing a new chapter of “buying to the world and selling to the world” with a more open attitude.
It is foreseeable that under the digital wave, more local brands will start from the Optics Valley, sail against the waves, and delve deeper into overseas markets, letting the world see the “smart” changes and warmth of Chinese products.
