The Ministry of Transport is promoting the integration of new-generation information technologies, such as artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things and big data, with the logistics industry to reduce costs and improve efficiency in transportation and logistics, an official said on Tuesday.

Wang Xiuchun, the ministry's deputy director for transport services, made the remarks at a news conference in Beijing, noting that smart logistics is a new business model that deeply integrates these new-generation technologies with modern logistics.

It served as an important means to reduce costs, improve quality, and enhance efficiency in the logistics industry, she said, demonstrating a series of examples in China in the field.

Wang said that China has built 49 automated terminals, with the application scale, operational efficiency, and technological merit of these automated terminals generally leading the world.

"The phase-four automated container terminal at Shanghai Yangshan Port requires approximately 70 percent fewer personnel compared to traditional terminals of the same scale, and its operational efficiency far surpasses that of traditional terminals," she said.

Additionally, low-altitude logistics services are continuously expanding, the official said.

These services focus on various application scenarios, including the transportation of fresh produce between cities, urban express delivery, instant delivery, as well as delivery in mountainous areas and emergencies, according to Wang.

She gave an example of a major Chinese delivery service provider SF Express, which is accelerating the development of commercial drone logistics operations, with over one million flights in the provinces of Guangdong, Sichuan and Jiangxi.