Global supply chains are evolving rapidly. Based on ongoing dialogue with procurement leaders, logistics managers and sustainability teams in and around China, a clear picture is emerging of how priorities are changing and what will define supply chain strategies in the years ahead.
Cost remains important, but it no longer stands alone. Today, resilience, transparency and sustainability are equally critical decision drivers.
From theory to action
Nearshoring is moving from strategy presentations to concrete decisions. More companies are actively relocating sourcing and production closer to their end markets to reduce risk, shorten lead times and increase stability. Shorter supply chains support faster response times and often a smaller environmental footprint, while strengthening overall robustness.
At the same time, sustainability is becoming increasingly operational. Long-term ambitions such as net-zero targets remain essential, but the focus is shifting towards practical, measurable actions that can be implemented here and now and integrated into everyday supply chain operations.
Visibility, technology and resilience
End-to-end visibility is no longer a differentiator – it is a baseline expectation. Real-time insight into cargo flows, documentation and handling processes is now fundamental to effective planning and risk management. This places higher demands on digital infrastructure, data quality and cross-border coordination.
Technology plays a growing role, primarily as a support to people and decision-making. AI and automation are increasingly applied to forecasting, risk detection and monitoring, enabling earlier intervention and freeing up resources for planning, collaboration and strategic work.
Finally, supply chains are being designed for disruption rather than for ideal conditions. The vulnerabilities of pure just-in-time models have become clear in recent years. Flexibility, multiple sourcing options, geographic diversification and smart buffer strategies are becoming central elements of resilient supply chain design, even where this requires additional upfront investment.
A global shift
The supply chains best prepared for the future are those built for the world as it is, not as it is ideally imagined. The developments seen from China reflect a broader global movement towards more robust, transparent and sustainable logistics networks.
Across regions and industries, the same themes are emerging: resilience over fragility, visibility over uncertainty, and practical sustainability over distant ambition. These shifts will continue to shape how supply chains are planned, operated and developed well beyond 2026.