China set to become sixth-largest express market by 2010

China set to become sixth-largest express market by 2010    China will replace Canada as the world’s sixth-largest Express market by 2010 if it continues growing at an average 20 percent per year, according to a report from Datamonitor.
   “China is increasingly being seen as the manufacturing center of the world,” said Emilio Pedrinaci, express analyst at Datamonitor. “Post-WTO China is also experiencing rapid market liberalization and modernization as well as rising domestic consumption. Consequently it has become a strategic market for global businesses.”
   Datamonitor’s “Express and Parcels Global Outlook 2006” rates China’s express delivery market value at $3.5 billion annually with growth attributable to increasing export activity with Europe and the United States. Datamonitor said the overall U.S. market, dominated chiefly by UPS, FedEx and DHL and the largest worldwide, was worth $65 billion in 2005.
   “The role of China as key country in terms of global supply chains and the significant GDP growth maintained in the last four years, which have made China the second EU trading partner after the U.S. In addition, the country is experiencing a significant expansion of transportation infrastructure,” Pedrinaci said.