A consumer pays with Alipay after ordering food at the first self-service restaurant in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province. [Photo/Xinhua]

Cross-border e-commerce in Hangzhou, capital of Zhejiang province, grew 22.15 percent year on year to $5.09 billion from January to May this year, local media reported.

Statistics show that Hangzhou's cross-border e-commerce exports totaled $3.52 billion, up 19.86 percent year on year.

In the first half of the year, orders from the United States were valued at just $1 million, while those from Africa and Canada increased by more than 50 percent, said Dong Chenglong, president of Hangzhou Jinmeng Road Establishment Co.

He added that the sales through business-to-business (B2B) cross-border e-commerce in the first half of the year reached more than $5 million, opening up a possible avenue to deal with the Sino-US trade conflict.

Though Europe and the United States are still the main export markets for Hangzhou's cross-border e-commerce, an increasing number of companies are diversifying their export markets by expanding their presence in Europe and countries involved in the Belt and Road Initiative.

Hangzhou Home Dee Sanitary Ware Co Ltd, a company dedicated to manufacturing and exporting bathroom cabinets and other related products, recorded over 50 million yuan ($7.3 million) in sales through B2B cross-border e-commerce in the first six months. Now, the company is expanding its footprint in Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom.

The online global retail platforms also have a role to play in driving the development of Hangzhou's foreign trade, including AliExpress (for Russia, Europe, South America marketplaces), Alibaba.com (for Europe, America and emerging markets), Jollychic (for Middle East markets) and major Southeast Asian e-commerce player Lazada Group SA.

Over the years, Hangzhou has been improving its ability to cultivate cross-border e-commerce talents. Statistics show that in the first half of this year, the China (Hangzhou) Cross-border E-Commerce Pilot Area fostered more than 90 cross-border e-commerce brands and cultivated 20,000 talents in related fields.