China's JD.com launched on Wednesday JoyExpress in Saudi Arabia, marking the first time the e-commerce giant's logistics arm has operated its own consumer-focused express delivery service abroad.

Known for its self-built warehousing and delivery network in China, JD Logistics operates over 3,600 warehouses in its home country. JoyExpress extends this self-operated model overseas, and will offer delivery services as fast as the same-day in Saudi Arabia, according to JD Logistics.

The expansion may mark the first step in JD's international push for growth, said Liu Qiangdong, the company's founder and chairman, at a business session in Beijing on Tuesday in which he emphasized the importance of the global market for JD's future growth.

With the launch of JoyExpress, JD has now established a fully self-operated logistics chain in the Middle East, encompassing warehousing, transport and last-mile delivery. It is also the first self-operated logistics supply chain network established by a Chinese Internet enterprise overseas.

In China, JD Logistics operates 19,000 delivery stations and service outlets, employing nearly 510,000 front-line workers, serving more than 600 million consumers and business clients.

In Saudi Arabia, it is also establishing a network of warehouses, transfer and sorting centers and a growing number of delivery stations. Saudi Arabia's courier, express, and parcel sector is growing rapidly. The market size is expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate of 6.48 percent from 2025 to 2030, according to Mordor Intelligence.

"JD's investment in Saudi Arabia aligns with our national vision to become a global logistics hub," said Rayan Albakri, deputy minister for logistics services at Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Transport and Logistics Services.

"The company's advanced self-operated express delivery services will not only elevate service standards in the kingdom but also create new opportunities for employment, innovation, and industry development in support of Vision 2030," he said.

JD is building a professional local team that includes in-house couriers, drivers, warehouse staff and customer service personnel. In addition to express delivery, the company also offers enterprise clients seamless and end-to-end supply chain logistics solutions.

"We look forward to expanding JoyExpress across the kingdom, bringing our industry-leading large-item delivery and installation capabilities to the market, while enhancing our sector-specific supply chain logistics capabilities in areas such as apparel, electronics, and fresh goods," said Charlie Peng, JD Logistics' head of Middle East.