Customs officers from Sanya Airport Customs inspect duty-free goods distribution at a pickup point at Sanya Phoenix International Airport. (Source: hinews.cn)

Cross-border e-commerce exports via Sanya Airport continued to expand rapidly in the first half of 2026. According to Haikou Customs, 3.734 million orders were shipped under the "9610" cross-border e-commerce model shipped 3.734 million orders, amounting to CNY 310 million in exports. Both the number of orders and the export value increased for the second quarter in a row.

Data indicate that order volume grew by 68.3% and export value by 38% in the first quarter compared with the previous quarter. The second quarter saw even stronger growth, with order volume increasing by 83.3% quarter-on-quarter and export value soaring by 113.8%, emphasizing the sustained momentum of cross-border e-commerce exports via the airport.

As one of the few Chinese cities authorized withgranted both fifth and seventh freedom air traffic rights, Sanya has continually expanded its international air routes to Southeast Asia, Europe, and beyond. The city leverages the belly cargo capacity of passenger flights and introduces has introduced dedicated cross-border e-commerce cargo charter services, enhancing international logistics channels for e-commerce businesses.

Goods exported via Sanya now include cultural and creative products, household items, machinery parts, and an expanding range of other goods, demonstrating ongoing diversification in both product types and sources of supply.

What is the "9610" model?

The "9610" model is a customs supervision code used for cross-border e-commerce retail imports and exports. Officially called Cross-border Electronic Commerce‌, it mainly facilitates B2C retail transactions conducted by domestic individuals and e-commerce companies through online platforms. In this model, customs clearance is managed via a "list-based clearance and consolidated declaration" method, enhancing efficiency for cross-border retail exports.