A food delivery woman (Photo/Chinanews.com)

A big data report issued by China’s e-commerce giant Alibaba on Jan. 2 indicates the momentum of consumption upgrading in China.

Covering over 3.5 million merchants from 676 Chinese cities, the report said that third- and fourth-tier cities maintained high vitality for growth in 2018.

Langfang, in northern China’s Hebei province, saw the fastest growth in online food ordering services, while Weihai of Shandong province is home to the most book-lovers, with average spending at bookstores in Weihai amounting to five times the national average.

Additionally, more daily consumption demands were met thanks to online services, which suggested further integration of online and offline channels.

According to the report, on New Year's Eve 2018, a total of 14,000 medicines for children were delivered through Eleme, one of China’s leading food ordering platforms. Moreover, 1,248 “999-rose packages” were ordered through the platform on Valentine’s Day last year.

Records issued by food delivery couriers also verified the high demand throughout China. Wang Bingzhong, a courier in Lishui, Zhejiang province, was the top deliveryman in China, finishing 29,797 orders, or 81 per day. In Shanghai, courier Liu Wugui covered a total length of 63,221 kilometers in 2018, which is equivalent to travelling around the equator one and a half times.

Today, Chinese people are more willing to spend their money online, and in 2018, local commerce transactions above 100 yuan were 56 percent higher than the previous year, the report said.