China’s online retail sales surge to $500 billion in Q1

China’s online retail sales recorded remarkable growth in the first quarter of 2025, reaching 3.6 trillion yuan (approximately $499.6 billion), driven by government policies aimed at stimulating consumption, including the replacement of old consumer goods.

The Chinese Ministry of Commerce reported that online sales of physical goods increased by 5.7%, while sales of digital goods rose by 7.4%. The online entertainment sector saw a significant growth of 40%, driven by the release of high-quality movies.

It noted government and enterprise cooperation to accelerate the integration of domestic and foreign trade, with more than 10 e-commerce platforms taking rapid action to deliver high-quality products to local markets.