Reduce logistics costs for the whole society! Why does the central government need to deploy again?

　　China News Service, February 28 (China News Finance reporter Li Jinlei) The fourth meeting of the Central Financial and Economic Commission held recently was to study the issue of effectively reducing logistics costs for the whole society.

　　This meeting brought logistics cost reduction and efficiency improvement to a new level. It clarified the starting point and foothold, basic premise, main approaches, specific measures, etc. of logistics cost reduction. It pointed out the direction and planned " route map".

  Data map.

Photo by Liu Lixin

Reducing logistics costs and increasing efficiency to a new level

　　The Central Economic Work Conference held at the end of 2023 proposed to effectively reduce the logistics costs of the whole society.

　　Data from the China Logistics Information Center shows that the total social logistics cost in 2023 will be 18.2 trillion yuan, with a ratio to GDP of 14.4%, down 0.3 percentage points from 2022.

　　Logistics is the "string" of the real economy, connecting production and consumption, domestic trade and foreign trade. It must effectively reduce the logistics costs of the whole society, enhance the core competitiveness of the industry, and improve the efficiency of economic operation.

　　Regarding how to effectively reduce the logistics costs of the whole society, the fourth meeting of the Central Financial and Economic Committee planned a "road map".

　　The meeting emphasized that

the starting point and goal of logistics cost reduction is to serve the real economy and the people. The basic premise is to maintain a basically stable proportion of the manufacturing industry. The main approach is to adjust the structure, promote reform, and effectively reduce transportation costs, warehousing costs, and management costs.

　　The China Logistics Information Center issued an article on the 27th explaining that this meeting combined the current economic development environment and development goals and tasks, and raised logistics cost reduction and efficiency improvement to a new level. It made redeployments and had many new ideas.

　　"The approach is deeper and the goal is more specific." China Logistics Information Center said that the meeting emphasized that the main approach is to adjust the structure and promote reform, specifically mentioning that "the basic premise is to maintain a basically stable proportion of the manufacturing industry" to effectively reduce the cost of transportation, warehousing and management. Link logistics costs.

Judging from statistical data, manufacturing logistics accounts for more than 80% of the total, and logistics costs in most industries and fields account for relatively high proportions.

From the perspective of enterprises, it is necessary to carry out pilot projects for statistical surveys of logistics costs of key enterprises, establish logistics cost base points in various industries, form a logistics cost benchmarking system for subdivided industries, and better serve logistics to reduce costs and increase efficiency.

  Data map.

Photo by Ye Qiuyun

What are the impacts of proposing three major measures?

　　The relevant person in charge of the Ministry of Transport analyzed at a press conference on the 28th that overall, "low cost in a single link and high operating cost in the entire chain" is the most prominent contradiction in current logistics operations. "Logistics resource allocation efficiency is low, circulation cycle "Low efficiency" is a key factor leading to high logistics costs.

　　Reducing the logistics cost of the whole society is an important measure to improve the efficiency of economic operation.

Regarding how to effectively reduce the logistics costs of the whole society, the fourth meeting of the Central Financial and Economic Commission proposed three major measures:

Optimize the transportation structure

, strengthen "road-to-rail" and "road-to-water", deepen the reform of the comprehensive transportation system, and form a unified, efficient, competitive and orderly logistics market.

Optimize the main corridors

, clear up congestion points, improve the modern commercial circulation system, and encourage the development of new logistics models that combine platform economy, low-altitude economy, autonomous driving, etc.

Make overall plans for logistics hubs

, optimize transportation infrastructure construction and major productivity layout, and vigorously develop the airport economy and port economy.

　　The China Logistics Information Center pointed out that for the first time, this conference mentioned encouraging the combination with low-altitude economy in the path of reducing social logistics costs. Relevant policies and normative documents have been gradually launched and implemented. Related industries are moving toward standardized development. New models such as low-altitude logistics have broad prospects. application space.

This important step is to expand model channels and promote logistics efficiency.

　　“Effectively reducing logistics costs for the whole society requires a deep understanding of its connotation and extension, and facing up to existing problems such as cross-transportation congestion, long resource transportation distances, high inventory capital occupation, duplication of circulation links, and homogeneity of logistics services from the perspective of social and economic operations. ." The China Logistics Information Center believes that logistics services must be deeply integrated into the supply chain service links of the real economy, enhance the core competitiveness of the logistics industry, and support high-quality economic development with high-efficiency logistics services.

　　The Ministry of Transport pointed out that the next step will be to organize special actions to reduce transportation logistics costs, improve quality and efficiency.

First, speed up the improvement of the comprehensive transportation service system and promote structural cost reduction, quality improvement and efficiency improvement.

Second, strengthen the efficient connection of all links and promote systematic cost reduction, quality improvement and efficiency improvement.

Third, accelerate the construction of a national unified transportation and logistics market and promote institutional cost reduction, quality improvement and efficiency improvement.

Fourth, accelerate the development of smart logistics and green logistics, and promote technological cost reduction, quality improvement and efficiency improvement.

Fifth, strengthen the protection of factor resources and promote comprehensive cost reduction, quality improvement and efficiency improvement.

Sixth, guide enterprises to strengthen management and improve efficiency, and promote operational cost reduction, quality improvement and efficiency improvement.

　　"The logistics cost reduction emphasized at the conference is not only an adjustment of economic strategies, but also a profound change related to the national economy and people's livelihood." Zhu Keli, executive director of the China Information Association and founding president of the Guoyan New Economic Research Institute, told Sino-Singapore Finance, The clear signal released by this change is that China is committed to building an efficient, green and intelligent modern logistics system based on the real economy and guided by people's needs.

This is not only an important measure to improve the quality and efficiency of economic development internally, but will also promote the formation of a unified national market, improve the overall operating efficiency of the national economy, and help consolidate China's key role in global supply chain management.

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