From March 3 to 5, 2025, the First Conference of U-Connect E-Commerce Logistics Network was successfully held at the Okada Hotel in Manila, Philippines. As the first event designed specifically for e-commerce logistics professionals, this conference attracted many industry elites. As a founding member of U-Connect, U-Speed Group CEO Mr. James Tsang was invited to attend and delivered a wonderful speech at the conference, bringing profound insights and inspiration to the participants.
About Uconnect Global Network
Uconnect Global Network (hereinafter referred to as "UCN") is a community that brings together excellent LCL carriers and top freight forwarders around the world. Its core purpose is to provide members with high-quality and trustworthy logistics services. UCN is committed to exploring the infinite possibilities of interpersonal connections in every exchange, dialogue and community event, thereby continuously expanding the member network.
Led by CEO Andrew Smithurst and Deputy CEO Chris Coching, UCN has gathered more than 280 members, with business in 66 countries and a member satisfaction rate of 90.34%. It is headquartered in Singapore. UCN ensures that each member has excellent service quality and reliability through a series of strict screening mechanisms, aiming to contribute excellent services to the global logistics field.
At this conference, Mr. James Tsang, CEO of U-Speed Group, gave a wonderful speech on the current situation of the cross-border e-commerce market and the impact of the new US tariff policy with his deep industry insight and rich practical experience, which aroused widespread attention and heated discussion on the spot.
Current situation of cross-border e-commerce market development
Mr. James Tsang first introduced the strong growth trend of the cross-border e-commerce market. According to Globe Newswire data, the scale of the global cross-border e-commerce market has increased from US$0.98 trillion in 2021 to US$1.98 trillion in 2024, and is expected to reach US$2.50 trillion in 2025, and will continue to grow in the next few years. The US market is particularly dependent on Chinese goods. In 2024, 50% of US cross-border e-commerce parcels came from China, and the proportions in the EU, Southeast Asia and Latin American markets also reached 60%, 70% and 60% respectively.
Challenges and responses of the cross-border industry
The speech focused on the US T86 policy. The policy allows goods worth no more than $800 to enter the US market quickly and partially duty-free, greatly reducing import costs and improving trade efficiency. In 2024, the T86 policy cleared 1 billion packages, accounting for 40% of the total cross-border e-commerce packages in the United States.
However, the fluctuations in tariff policies in February 2024 broke the calm of the market. In just 144 hours, the US tariff policy changed dramatically. Trump signed an executive order to impose a 10% tariff on Chinese goods, canceling the tax-free policy for goods worth less than $800 and the T86 customs clearance mode. This series of policy fluctuations triggered a chain reaction, and the global trade environment became increasingly complex and changeable.
Faced with the uncertainty of tariff policies and possible changes in the T86 policy, the cross-border e-commerce industry has encountered unprecedented challenges. Product prices have risen, logistics costs have increased, and customs clearance time has been extended, weakening the competitiveness of Chinese products. For major e-commerce platforms such as Amazon, Temu, and Shein, the increase in final selling prices caused by tariff changes has put pressure on their market share and business expansion.
Mr. James Tsang proposed a variety of emergency solutions for sellers and logistics providers, including reducing dependence on the T86 import model, adopting a semi-management model combined with overseas warehouse shipments, optimizing logistics models, using the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement, and improving supply chain management.
U-Speed: A leader in industry change
At the end of the speech, Mr. James Tsang introduced U-Speed to everyone. U-Speed was founded in 2015 and is headquartered in Hong Kong, China. Born out of the reverse logistics needs of cross-border e-commerce, U-Speed provides professional services that integrate forward and reverse logistics, with reverse logistics as its feature, assisting in forward market expansion, and is committed to providing overall solutions for cross-border brand sellers and e-commerce platforms to quickly occupy the market. After ten years of development, U-Speed has established 3 branches in China and has 3 self-owned warehousing and fulfillment centers. It has 6 overseas companies in Israel, Turkey, the United States, Dubai and the Netherlands, building a reverse logistics service system covering the world.
Mr. James Tsang's speech was like a beacon, illuminating the way forward for industry practitioners in the fog of the collision between the cross-border e-commerce market and the new US tariff policy, and providing valuable ideas and directions. I believe that with the joint efforts of all parties in the industry, the cross-border e-commerce market will surely break through the difficulties and usher in a more prosperous tomorrow!
