WIC holds symposium on Practical Guide to Cross-Border E-Commerce for SMEs

The World Internet Conference (WIC) held a symposium in Beijing on April 2, discussing the framework and key content of the "Practical Guide to Cross-Border E-Commerce for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs)” they are working on.

The event, held both online and offline, brought together members of the WIC Specialized Committee on E-Commerce (WIC SC on E-Commerce), as well as representatives from the cross-border e-commerce industrial chain and SMEs to discuss how to provide actionable guidance for SMEs going global. The symposium was hosted by the WIC SC on E-Commerce and co-organized by Ebrun Think Tank.

The drafting team presented the background, framework, and content strategy of the guide at the event. Designed to address the practical needs of SMEs worldwide engaged in cross-border e-commerce, the guide aims to serve as a lightweight, actionable, and practice-oriented resource to help SMEs expand into global markets steadily and efficiently.

During the discussion session, experts and corporate representatives fully affirmed the significance of the report. Drawing on industry practices, they engaged in in-depth exchanges on the framework design and key content of the guide, and put forward practical and feasible suggestions for improvement. 

They noted that SMEs in cross-border e-commerce currently face common challenges, including intensified homogeneous competition, persistently high compliance risks, and frequent changes in relevant rules. At the same time, AI technology is effectively empowering all aspects of cross-border e-commerce, demonstrating great potential in reducing operating costs and improving operational efficiency. 

To this end, they suggested, the guide should further emphasize a practice-oriented approach, with a focus on providing AI tool  recommendations, a self-checklist for enterprise qualifications, reference suggestions for selecting service providers, and cross-border practical case studies. These efforts would effectively address major difficulties faced by SMEs in expanding their cross-border e-commerce business, offer easier access to information, and help them get started quickly and make efficient decisions, they added.

Those in attendance included Zhao Quan, senior project officer for trade policy of the Market Development Division of the International Trade Centre; Diah Yusuf, director-general of the Asian Small and Medium Enterprises Business Federation; Dato'Ku Yee Fei, deputy director of the Digital Economy Group of the Associated Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Malaysia; Li Mingtao, chief e-commerce expert of the China International Electronic Commerce Center of the Ministry of Commerce; Xiong Canxin, director of Trade and Investment Promotion Department at China Council for the Promotion of International Trade Commercial Sub-Council; and Hong Yong, associate research fellow of the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation of the Ministry of Commerce.

Representatives from cross-border e-commerce companies, including Alibaba, Ant Group, Jumia Global, PingPong, Kwai, Google, TikTok, E.VAT Master, and Qianhai Jiumi, as well as executives of SMEs from Ningbo, Shenzhen, and Guizhou, also attended the meeting.

A WIC representative stated that the drafting team will further optimize and refine the report framework by incorporating feedback and suggestions from all parties. Upon completion, the report will be officially released at relevant event of the WIC international organization.