Mayor Wang Zhongbing (R3) attends the launch ceremony in Zhanjiang on Oct 28. [Photo/yinsha.com]

Zhanjiang's e-commerce ecosystem and Alibaba's location-based service (LBS) center in the city started operations on Oct 28.

More than 400 representatives from Zhanjiang Municipal Government, Zhanjiang Municipal Commercial Affairs Bureau and chambers of commerce attended the launch ceremony. Wang Zhongbing, mayor of Zhanjiang, and Zhang Ronghui, executive vice-mayor, were present at the ceremony.

Zhanjiang is one of the first cities identified by China's e-commerce giant Alibaba Group to set up its LBS center. Location based service centers are part of Alibaba's globalization strategy.

The LBS center in Zhanjiang will promote development of local cross-border e-commerce, help local businesses make full use of Alibaba's resources and equip Zhanjiang economy with new Internet technologies.

It will also help market local products abroad, upgrade local brands and develop e-commerce ecosystem through online to offline (OTO) services, promoting widespread entrepreneurship and innovation in Zhanjiang.

Zhanjiang possesses necessary economic infrastructure and potential to develop cross-border e-commerce.

Compared with other cities in China, it has convenient shipping ports and simple customs procedures, which make it a favorable spot for cross-border e-commerce.

Every year, about 75,000 students graduate from colleges and technical secondary schools in Zhanjiang, creating the main driving force for e-commerce industry. Zhanjiang also speeds up the construction of Southern Maritime Valley, a platform that supports mass entrepreneurship and innovation.

Edited by Mevlut Katik