China's great delivery war

中国快递大战

Round Table China

社会与文化

2025-05-09

30 分钟
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Food, medicine, groceries, electronics—if it fits on a scooter, it’s fair game in China's high-stakes delivery wars. Tech giants like JD and Alibaba are charging into Meituan and Ele.me's turf, armed with lightning-fast delivery pledges and billion-yuan subsidies. But in this cutthroat, time-sensitive market, where every minute tilts the balance, who has the speed—and the stamina—to come out on top? On the show: Heyang, Steve Hatherly & Yushan
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  • Discussion keeps the world turning.

  • This is Roundtable.

  • Food, medicine, groceries, if it fits on a scooter, is part of the great delivery war.

  • Tech titans such as JD.com and Alibaba are storming into Meituan and Ulema's territory with blazing fast delivery promises and billion yuan subsidies.

  • But in a mature market where every minute counts,

  • who's fast enough and fierce enough to come out the winner?

  • Coming to you live from Beijing, this is Roundtable.

  • I'm He Yang.

  • For today's program, I'm joined by Steve Hatherly and Yu Shan.

  • First on today's show.

  • Behind the flurry of scooters and app notifications lies something bigger.

  • The essence of instant retail is quietly rewriting the relationship between people,

  • goods, and the spaces where e-commerce happens in China.

  • What used to be a model of planned purchases and patient delivery has rapidly evolved into a system built for impulse,

  • immediacy, and proximity.

  • As tech giants such as JD and Alibaba push into Meituan and Palamas stronghold.

  • These are platforms that built their empires on food delivery and local services.

  • It's clear this is no longer just about food.

  • It's about a new infrastructure of urban life in China.

  • This is a war for your doorsteps.