The "Global Cross-Border Industry Ecological Assessment Report (2025)" Was Released to Study and Judge New Trends in Industrial Cooperation in China

Recently, Track China officially released the "Global Cross-border Industry Ecological Assessment Report (2025)" (hereinafter referred to as the "Report"). As the core report of the Key Ecosystem series, the "Report" is based on industrial data from more than 100 countries and regions around the world, and builds a three-dimensional evaluation system of "industrial vitality-cooperation potential-innovation ability", focusing on analyzing the current status and trends of cross-border cooperation in emerging tracks such as artificial intelligence, green and low-carbon, and digital economy. The "Report" pointed out that global industrial cooperation is showing three major characteristics: "ecological synergy, technology-driven, and regional agglomeration", and regional cooperation mechanisms such as RCEP and BRICS countries have become the core carriers of cross-border industrial ecological construction. The report has provided decision-making reference for more than 20 government departments and more than 50 leading enterprises.

Appendix: Global Cross-border Industry Ecological Assessment Report (2025)

1. Introduction
2. Research background

The global cross-border industrial ecology has entered a critical stage of "digital reconstruction + pattern differentiation", geopolitical games have intensified the regional layout of the supply chain, Europe and the United States have strengthened technology and trade barriers through the "Chip and Science Act" and the "Critical Infrastructure Act", and emerging markets such as Southeast Asia and the Middle East have become new hotspots for cross-border industrial layout. As the world's largest manufacturing country and the second largest economy, China's cross-border e-commerce transaction volume will exceed 15 trillion yuan in 2024, with a cross-border logistics network covering more than 190 countries and regions. At present, the global cross-border industry is facing common problems such as "insufficient collaborative efficiency, weak risk prevention and control, and fragmented rules and standards", and it is urgent to clarify the development law through systematic evaluation to provide support for China's deep integration into and leading the global cross-border industrial ecology.

2. Core concepts

The Global Cross-Border Industry Ecosystem (GCBE) is a cross-regional, full-chain collaborative network based on the global division of labor, with digital technology as the link, integrating "multinational enterprise-led, scientific research institution empowerment, logistics and payment support, capital policy guarantee, and rule and standard convergence", covering cross-border trade, cross-border manufacturing, cross-border services and other core areas, and is an important carrier of new quality productivity in global resource allocation.

3. Purpose of reporting

Systematically evaluate the development pattern, core characteristics and evolution trends of the global cross-border industrial ecosystem, analyze China's positioning advantages and outstanding pain points in the ecosystem, and put forward the strategic path of "collaborative innovation, diversified layout, risk prevention and control, and standard guidance", so as to provide decision-making reference for Chinese enterprises to "go global", "globalize" the industrial ecology, and "enhance" international discourse.

2. The current status of global cross-border industrial ecological development

(1) Ecological composition

Forming a multinational leader with Amazon, Maersk, Alibaba, SHEIN and other multinational leaders as the core, in conjunction with more than 200 scientific research institutions such as the MIT Supply Chain Laboratory and the Cross-border E-commerce Research Center of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, and linking more than 500 logistics and payment supporting companies such as COSCO SHIPPING, DHL, and Lianlian Payment, superimposed on the global cross-border investment fund (scale of more than 8000 billion US dollars), more than 130 cross-border e-commerce comprehensive pilot zones (China accounts for 165), RCEP/CPTPP and other regional free trade agreements of diversified synergy pattern. Among them, China's ecology has formed a closed loop of "manufacturing end-platform end-logistics end-service end", and the overseas layout of leading enterprises covers more than 120 countries and regions.

(2) Core advantages

The application rate of cross-border e-commerce platforms, smart logistics scheduling, blockchain cross-border payment and other technologies has increased by 40% compared with 5 years ago, and the transaction scale of China's cross-border e-commerce platforms accounts for more than 50% of the world.

China has a complete manufacturing system with 41 industrial categories, 207 industrial categories, and 666 industrial subcategories, and the localization of key components exceeds 75%, providing a stable supply for cross-border industries.

Market demand is strong in both directions, with cross-border consumption growth in emerging markets around the world exceeding 18%, and China's "domestic demand upgrade + external demand expansion" two-wheel drive, with import cross-border e-commerce transactions increasing by 23% year-on-year in 2024 and export cross-border e-commerce transactions increasing by 19% year-on-year.

Policy dividends continue to be released, RCEP member countries account for 30% of the world's trade volume, China has signed cooperation documents with more than 150 countries to jointly build the "Belt and Road", the level of trade facilitation continues to improve, and tariff reductions cover more than 80% of cross-border goods.

(3) Existing challenges

There is a gap between the cross-border logistics intelligent scheduling system and high-end cold chain technology compared with the international top level, the layout density of overseas warehouses is insufficient (only 0.3 per 10 square kilometers, 1.2 in Europe and the United States), and cross-border payment and clearing rely on the SWIFT system, with an independent controllability rate of less than 30%.

Geopolitical and rule risks have intensified, with more than 30 countries introducing cross-border technology export control policies, trade protectionism leading to an average increase of 12% in tariff barriers, and a 35% increase in compliance costs due to differences in international rules such as cross-border data flow and intellectual property protection.

The ecological collaboration efficiency is low, the success rate of cross-border industry-university-research transformation is only 6%-9%, which is 15 percentage points lower than the domestic collaboration efficiency, the upstream and downstream cross-border matching rate is less than 60%, and there are "breakpoints" in the connection of inter-regional supply chains (data source: Global Supply Chain Association).

Brand competitiveness is weak, China's cross-border export goods account for more than 60% of low-end products, the number of world-renowned cross-border brands is less than 1/3 of European and American countries, and the brand premium ability is 40%-50% lower than that of international leaders.

3. Strategic development suggestions

(1) Collaborative innovation and digitalization

Implementation entity: Led by the Ministry of Commerce and the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, in conjunction with leading enterprises such as Alibaba, COSCO SHIPPING, and SHEIN, the Institute of Digital Technology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Cross-border Logistics Laboratory of Tsinghua University to establish the "Global Cross-border Industry Innovation Collaborative Alliance".

Resource investment: The alliance shares digital technology platforms worth more than 50 billion yuan (such as cross-border logistics intelligent scheduling system, blockchain compliance platform) and core R&D resources, with a total R&D investment estimated at 300 billion yuan, focusing on key technologies such as cross-border payment and clearing, smart warehousing, and cross-border data security.

Goal implementation: Achieve a 40% increase in cross-border logistics timeliness and a 25% reduction in compliance costs within 3 years, build an independent and controllable cross-border payment and clearing network within 5 years, and the cross-border compliance circulation coverage rate of data exceeds 80%.

(2) Diversified ecological layout

Overseas layout path:

(1) RCEP region: build cross-border manufacturing bases in Thailand and Vietnam, lay out regional logistics hubs in Singapore and Australia, add more than 200 overseas warehouses, and absorb more than 300 local supporting enterprises to join the ecosystem;

(2) Along the "Belt and Road": 15 cross-border industrial parks will be built with the Middle East and Central Asian countries, focusing on advantageous areas such as new energy and digital products, and creating an integrated hub of "manufacturing + logistics + service";

(3) European and American markets: set up compliance operation centers and R&D branches, and cooperate with local enterprises to carry out technical cooperation to break through trade and technical barriers.

Model output: Replicate China's mature model of "platform + overseas warehouse + localized services", promote mutual recognition of cross-border e-commerce and smart logistics standards, and aim to increase the proportion of overseas market revenue to 30% within 5 years, with a coverage rate of more than 90% in emerging markets.

(3) Systematization of risk prevention and control

Establish a global cross-border risk early warning platform, integrate tariffs, exchange rates, compliance, geopolitics and other data resources, provide enterprises with real-time early warning and response plans, and cover more than 80% of key cross-border enterprises by 2026.

Improve cross-border payment and financial support, promote cross-border RMB settlement, and jointly establish a cross-border industrial risk protection fund (with a scale of more than 500 billion yuan) with the AIIB and the Silk Road Fund to reduce exchange rate and credit risks.

Participate in international rule-making, actively connect with high-standard economic and trade rules such as CPTPP and DEPA, promote rule coordination in fields such as cross-border data flow, intellectual property protection, and green cross-border trade, and enhance international discourse.

(4) High-end brand value

Implement the "Cross-border Brand Cultivation Plan" to support enterprises to increase investment in R&D and design, build 100 cross-border brands with global influence in new energy, digital technology, high-end manufacturing, etc., and increase the proportion of high-end product exports to 40% by 2027.

Build a global brand promotion platform, rely on cross-border e-commerce platforms, international exhibitions, and digital marketing channels to strengthen brand story communication and interaction with overseas users, and enhance brand premium capabilities.

4. Prediction of future trends

(1) Short-term (3-5 years)

Technical level: The digitalization rate of cross-border industries exceeds 70%, smart logistics, blockchain payment, and AI compliance review have become standard, and the proportion of cross-border technology patents independently developed in China has increased to 25%.

Industry level: Forming 5-8 of the world's top cross-border industrial ecological leading enterprises, China's cross-border industry scale has exceeded 30 trillion yuan, and the number of overseas warehouses has exceeded 5,000, covering major economies around the world.

Market level: emerging markets have contributed more than 50% of cross-border industry growth, the "RCEP + Belt and Road" dual-cycle pattern has taken shape, and China's cross-border industry has further consolidated its dominance in the Asian market.

(2) Long-term (5-10 years)

Standard-led: China has led the formulation of more than 30% of the core standards of the global cross-border industry (covering cross-border logistics, digital trade, payment security and other fields), and core patents account for more than 35%, becoming a core participant in the formulation of global cross-border industry rules.

Global pattern: Forming an industrial ecological pattern of "China's intelligent manufacturing + global services + standard output", the global cross-border industrial market share is stable at more than 30%, and the cross-border industrial ecology has become an important carrier for China's participation in global economic governance, providing a "Chinese solution" for global supply chain stability and trade facilitation.

5. Conclusion and outlook
6. Core conclusion

The global cross-border industrial ecology is in a critical period of digital transformation and pattern restructuring, and China has the basic conditions to integrate and lead the global ecosystem with its complete manufacturing system, leading digital technology, and huge market demand. At present, it is urgent to break through technical shortcomings through digital collaborative innovation, diversify geopolitical risks through diversified layout, reduce compliance costs through systematic prevention and control, and enhance core competitiveness through high-end brands, in order to occupy a dominant position in the global cross-border industrial ecosystem.

2. Future prospects

With the implementation of the strategy, China's global cross-border industrial ecology will further strengthen the core competitiveness of "independent and controllable technology, diversified and coordinated layout, effective risk prevention and control, and strong standard leadership", and promote China's cross-border industry to achieve a leap forward of "from scale expansion to quality improvement", "from product going overseas to ecological going overseas", and "from rule following to standard guidance", injecting new momentum into the high-quality development of global cross-border industries and helping to build a new pattern of open, inclusive, inclusive, balanced and win-win economic globalization.