The 14th GLA Global Logistics Conference Grandly Opened in Shenzhen

On May 9th 2026, the 14th GLA Global Logistics Conference successfully concluded at the Shenzhen Convention and Exhibition Center (Futian), bringing together over 2,000 logistics professionals and industry leaders from more than 130 countries and regions.

Under the theme "Enhance Resilience, Deepen Collaboration, Create Value" the conference directly addressed the structural shifts reshaping international logistics. 

The conference featured the 3rd GLA Global Supply Chain CEO Forum, the Women in Logistics Leadership Forum, and a flagship one-on-one business meetings that generated over 100,000 targeted meetings. Running in parallel, more than 200 international exhibitors showcased cutting-edge logistics technologies and innovative solutions, demonstrating the vast potential within the global supply chain sector.

A defining moment came during the opening ceremony with the official launch of the GLA Global Logistics Smart Ecosystem. The new platform features intelligent supply-demand matching capabilities, an advanced member credit system, and integrated digital tools designed to streamline operations and accelerate business growth for logistics enterprises globally. Integrating intelligent supply-demand matching and a member credit system, the new digital infrastructure signals the platform's strategic evolution from a resource-linking network era into a deeply empowering smart ecosystem era, now serving a global community of over 7,000 member enterprises from over 170+ countries. Multiple digital innovation products were also unveiled on the occasion, reinforcing the platform's service depth.

The year 2026 marks the 10th anniversary of the founding of the GLA Global Logistics Alliance. Over a decade of development, GLA has built a global collaborative network, covering more than 170 countries and 706 ports with over 7,000 international logistics member enterprises. It has grown into a key platform enabling logistics firms to pursue international collaboration, mitigate industry uncertainties, and achieve steady development through solid partnership.

The Opening Ceremony of the conference was attended by government officials, trade association leaders, and renowned think-tank experts, marking a significant moment in the global logistics sector. Key attendees included Li Jiaxiang, Former Deputy Minister and Deputy Secretary of the Ministry of Transport of China; Zhang Zhigang, Former Deputy Minister of Commerce of China; Wang Junwen, President of the China International Trade Society; Wu Kunsheng, Deputy Secretary-General of Shenzhen Municipal People’s Government; Ye Wenge, Deputy Director General of Shenzhen Municipal Commerce Bureau; Chen Xiaojun, Director of Luohu District Commerce Bureau; Chhieng Pich, Under Secretary of State, Ministry of Public Works & Transport; Román Cota Muñoz, Presidente Municipal of Tecate, Baja California, Mexico; Irgashev Golib Gayratovich, Head of the Secretariat of the Minister of Transport, Republic of Uzbekistan; Abdrakhman Amreyev, Chief Operating Officer, Kazakhstan’s National Postal Service (Kazpost); Prof. Dr. Thomas SIM, President of the International Federation of Freight Forwarders Associations (FIATA); Kassem Tofailli, President of Arab Chambers of Commerce and Industry Union representative in China; Chyngyz Sherniiazov, Head of China-Eurasian Business Council (CEBC); Chen Zhi, Chairman of the China Top 500 Industry Alliance and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Hong Kong Causeway Bay Group, Zhang Hongyu, Secretary-General of the Rongtong Open Source Data Research Institute; Ouyang Hong, Deputy President of Chinese News Agency, Caenews.cn, and Ms. Grace Sun, President of GLA Global Logistics Alliance and Executive President of GLEF.

The conference attracted participants from over 130 countries and regions, including the United States, Germany, India, the UAE, Canada, the Philippines, Spain, Japan, Saudi Arabia, Thailand, Bangladesh, the UK, Australia, Poland, Greece, Oman, South Africa, Mexico, Bulgaria, Jordan, France, Romania, Qatar, New Zealand, Nepal, Latvia, Norway, Maldives, Kuwait, Lebanon, Sri Lanka, Kazakhstan, Finland, Gabon, the Czech Republic, Moldova, Tunisia, Honduras, Argentina, Uzbekistan, Uruguay, Colombia, China, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Netherlands, South Korea, Italy, Brazil, Ethiopia, Denmark, Belgium, Switzerland, Portugal, Vietnam, Egypt, Morocco, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Ghana, Brunei, Azerbaijan, Pakistan and many others.

In an interview with assembled media, Ms. Grace Sun reflected on the nature of true partnership. "Cooperation has never been a simple exchange of resources; it is about complementing each other's expertise. GLA enables trusted partners worldwide to empower one another and achieve mutual success - turning online resource connections into handshakes and signed contracts on the ground." She added, "The ultimate goal of co-creating value is not just orders and profits, but opening new space for the sustainable development of our entire industry. 'To Create a Better World for Global Logistics' remains the core vision that GLA upholds, and a responsibility we share with our global partners."

More than 40 journalists from central, provincial, municipal, online, and overseas media covered the event, engaging deeply in the conference's forums and activities to capture key highlights and broadcast the achievements and latest practices of the Greater Bay Area's logistics ecosystem development.

Throughout the conference, more than 100 media outlets engaged deeply in the main forums and parallel sessions through on-site interviews, feature stories, and live broadcasts, capturing key highlights from a professional perspective and instantly relaying the conference’s core messages, major outcomes, and the latest practices in Greater Bay Area logistics ecosystem development to audiences worldwide.

Ms. Grace Sun, Founder and President of GLA Global Logistics Alliance and Executive President of the Global Logistics Enterprises Federation (GLEF), set the tone in her opening address. "The underlying logic of our industry has shifted fundamentally - from a singular focus on efficiency toward an era where resilience, efficiency, and sustainability carry equal weight," she said. "As global trade policies, tariff regimes, and regional dynamics continue to evolve, competition no longer hinges on speed alone, but on systemic resilience and comprehensive service capabilities."

Policy and industry integration was a recurring theme. In his remarks, Li Jiaxiang, Former Deputy Minister and Deputy Secretary of the Ministry of Transport of China, underscored logistics as a fundamental pillar of societal progress. He noted the rapid rise of new quality productive forces - including the low-altitude economy and smart logistics - and encouraged Chinese logistics enterprises to actively engage with global networks, seizing opportunities in multi-modal transport and low-altitude logistics to contribute to the unimpeded flow of global supply chains.

Zhang Zhigang, Former Deputy Minister of Commerce of China, highlighted that China’s social logistics performance registered a strong start in 2026. “Logistics is a vital component of the service industry, and the Chinese government is advancing service-sector empowerment and quality-upgrading actions, pushing producer services toward greater specialization and higher value-added segments,” he said. He expressed his expectation that GLA Global Logistics Alliance would continue its bridging role, creating docking channels for Chinese and international logistics enterprises to foster mutual benefit.  

International voices echoed the collaborative spirit. Chhieng Pich and Prof. Dr. Thomas SIM praised GLA Global Logistics Alliance's distinctive role in enabling cross-border logistics synergy and empowering international business development. "A global collaboration network built on a foundation of trust has become an indispensable stabilizing force for the industry," said Prof. SIM. "FIATA looks forward to deepening cooperation with GLA in the years to come."

A defining moment came during the opening ceremony with the official launch of the GLA Global Logistics Smart Ecosystem. The new platform features intelligent supply-demand matching capabilities, an advanced member credit system, and integrated digital tools designed to streamline operations and accelerate business growth for logistics enterprises globally.

During the New Product Introduction session, GLA Product Manager Mr. Jephte Maba presented a data-driven review of GLA’s journey over the past decade and officially unveiled a suite of innovative digital products. These launches mark GLA’s deeper evolution from a connector to an enabler-moving beyond simply helping members see each other, toward making it less costly and less risky for members to do business with one another. The launch of these products will further enhance the operational efficiency of cross-border collaboration among international logistics enterprises and strengthen their global competitiveness.

The Panel Discussions convened nine top executives and experts from the UAE, China, the United States, Italy, Singapore, Kenya, and India to dissect "Enhancing Resilience: Rethinking the DNA of Global Supply Chain." The consensus was clear: in the face of geopolitical shifts, cost volatility, and technological disruption, logistics enterprises must invest in digital empowerment, regional collaboration, and talent pipeline development to build more adaptive supply chains. The discussion was punctuated by sharp insights and compelling exchanges.

During the conference, Chris Condon, Founder of Aircon (USA), and Saad Eddine, Development & Network Director of Big Log Morocco, took the stage to share their companies' experiences in driving innovative growth through global logistics networks, offering perspectives from the Americas and Africa respectively.  

Chris Condon presented Aircon's cutting-edge solutions in cross-border cold chain logistics and intelligent temperature control. He highly recognized GLA's unique role in connecting logistics enterprises worldwide, and expressed his commitment to deepening multi-dimensional cooperation with GLA members.

Saad Eddine offered an African market perspective, outlining North Africa's strategic advantages as a trade hub linking Europe and Africa, and sharing Big Log Morocco's practical achievements in multimodal transport and customs clearance integration. He called on more international partners to enter the African market through the GLA platform and jointly seize the structural growth opportunities presented by the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

On the afternoon of May 9, the conference’s One-on-One Business Meetings commenced as scheduled. As a core component of the agenda, the sessions ran through the afternoon of May 11, bringing together over 2,000 international logistics entrepreneurs from more than 130 countries and regions for targeted business matching and partnership discussions. The conference facilitated over 100,000 one-on-one business meetings, with a substantial number of cooperation intentions translating into concrete outcomes.

Running in parallel with the One-on-One Business Meetings, over 200 professional exhibition booths brought together global logistics service providers, technology companies, and solution providers. They showcased cutting-edge achievements including digital systems, end-to-end visibility platforms, and new energy transport solutions. The exhibition area saw a consistently high flow of visitors, with technology demonstrations and business inquiries interwoven throughout. Many exhibitors reported that the level of on-site engagement exceeded their expectations.

The 15th GLA Global Logistics Conference will be held in Bangkok, Thailand, from October 22 to 25, 2026. We warmly invite logistics leaders from around the world to gather in the City of Angels!