Expert notes achievements in burgeoning sector, but says challenges remain

Economists who have devoted decades of study in the field of e-commerce have witnessed both the tremendous changes that e-commerce has brought to China's economic landscape, as well as the unevenness of growth in the sector.

Yao Guozhang, a professor and head of the Research Institute of Digital Economy at Nanjing University of Posts and Telecommunications, began his research on e-commerce in the late 1990s when the concept was largely unknown.

Prior to that, Yao worked in corporate marketing and technology departments. It was this experience that sparked his interest in e-commerce.