For years, global supply chains ran on a simple assumption: China was the factory of the world, and logistics followed a predictable east-to-west flow. That assumption no longer holds. By 2026, freight forwarders will be operating in a world reshaped by geopolitical risk, rising costs, compliance pressure, and customer demands for flexibility. At the center of this shift sits the China plus one strategy- a defining change that is rewriting how freight forwarding actually works. This is not just about adding Vietnam, India, or Mexico to a sourcing map. What this really means is more origins, more trade lanes, more complexity, and more opportunity for forwarders who know how to manage it.

Why global supply chains moved beyond single-country dependence

Global supply chain diversification was accelerated by trade wars, pandemic disruptions, port congestion, sanctions, and rising labor costs. Manufacturers learned a hard lesson: efficiency without resilience is fragile. The result was a clear shift toward a China plus one sourcing strategy, where companies retain production capacity in China while developing parallel manufacturing in one or more additional countries. This approach reduces risk exposure without abandoning China’s mature infrastructure and supplier ecosystem. For freight forwarders, this has triggered a fundamental rethink of routing, pricing, compliance, and coordination. Instead of managing one dominant origin, forwarders are now expected to orchestrate a multi-country sourcing strategy logistics with precision.

China Plus One Strategy and the changing role of freight forwarding

The China plus one strategy directly reshapes freight forwarding operations, often in ways shippers underestimate. Forwarders are no longer just booking space from Shanghai to Rotterdam or Los Angeles. They are managing fragmented volumes from Ho Chi Minh City, Chennai, Jakarta, Penang, Chittagong, and Monterrey, often feeding into the same destination market. This changes everything.

Here’s what it looks like on the ground:

• Smaller shipment sizes are moving more frequently

• A sharp rise in multi-origin freight management

• More cross-border consolidation points

• Increased reliance on regional expertise rather than single-country dominance

Freight forwarders now sit at the center of these decisions. Their ability to design routing options, manage compliance across jurisdictions, and maintain service reliability determines whether the strategy works or fails. This is where China Plus One Logistics becomes a competitive differentiator rather than a challenge.

How the China Plus One Strategy is reshaping trade routes

The China plus one strategy has redrawn global trade maps. Traditional east-west lanes remain critical, but new corridors are gaining relevance fast. We are seeing clear growth in China plus one trade routes, including:

• Southeast Asia to Europe via Middle East transshipment hubs

• India to North America through both the west and east coast gateways

• Mexico and Central America are feeding US markets via land-sea combinations

• Intra-Asia routes supporting component-level manufacturing

They represent new trade lanes after China Plus One that forwarders must understand deeply. Shipping routes impacted by China plus one are also more sensitive to capacity imbalances. Peak seasons now overlap across multiple origins, making forecasting harder and rewarding forwarders who can secure flexible carrier relationships.

Operational reality: moving production out of China logistics

Despite the phrase, moving production out of China does not mean exiting China. What it really means is parallel supply chains running at once. From a logistics perspective, moving production out of China introduces new layers of complexity:

• Inconsistent port efficiency across emerging hubs

• Variable customs maturity and documentation standards

• Limited direct sailings require more transshipment

• Infrastructure gaps in road, rail, and warehousing

Forwarders dealing with alternative manufacturing hubs to China logistics must fill these gaps with planning, local partnerships, and realistic timelines. This is where freight forwarding strategies for China plus one separate experienced operators from transactional players. The job is no longer to offer the cheapest rate but to design a supply chain that actually survives disruption.

China Plus One Strategy and compliance pressure

Another underappreciated angle of the China plus one strategy is compliance. Each additional sourcing country brings its own regulatory environment, trade agreements, and risk profile. Forwarders now juggle:

• Rules of origin verification across multiple countries

• Sanctions screening beyond China-focused controls

• Product classification consistency across origins

• Increased audit exposure

For many shippers, this is where the strategy starts to strain. They realize that savings at the manufacturing level can be wiped out by delays, penalties, or misdeclared cargo. Forwarders who understand China plus one challenges for logistics providers and proactively guide clients through them become long-term partners, not just service vendors.

How China Plus One changes freight forwarding operations

How China plus one changes freight forwarding operations goes far beyond routing. By 2026, forwarders must be comfortable operating as supply chain architects. This includes:

• Designing synchronized shipment schedules from multiple origins

• Advising on consolidation vs direct shipment trade-offs

• Balancing cost, speed, and reliability across diverse networks

• Using data to predict congestion and capacity risks

This shift favors forwarders with strong regional networks and digital visibility tools. It also increases the value of independent freight forwarders who can offer flexible, relationship-driven solutions instead of rigid corporate templates.

Technology and visibility in a multi-origin world

A fragmented sourcing model cannot function without visibility. Shippers want to see everything, everywhere, in near real time. Forwarders managing multi-origin freight management must invest in:

• Origin-level tracking and milestone reporting

• Integrated documentation workflows

• Exception management across countries

• Predictive analytics for delays and rerouting

The long-term impact of China Plus One on logistics is clear: forwarders who rely on manual processes and country-specific silos will struggle to scale. Those who build systems that support a multi-country sourcing strategy logistics will thrive.

Opportunities freight forwarders cannot ignore

Despite the complexity, this shift creates real upside. Freight forwarding opportunities in China plus one are significant for those prepared to adapt.

Key growth areas include:

• Advisory-led freight forwarding services

• Regional consolidation and deconsolidation hubs

• Specialized compliance and origin management

• Contract logistics tied to alternative manufacturing clusters

Shippers don’t just need trucks and containers. They need guidance. Forwarders who can explain supply chain resilience after china plus one in practical terms will win trust and long-term contracts.

What freight forwarders should do now?

Waiting is not an option. By 2026, shippers will expect their logistics partners to already understand this landscape. Forwarders should focus on:

• Strengthening networks in Southeast Asia, South Asia, and nearshoring regions

• Building internal expertise beyond China-centric operations

• Educating clients on realistic timelines and cost structures

• Developing flexible carrier and agent relationships

The winners will be those who treat global supply chain diversification as a permanent shift.

Final thoughts

The China plus one strategy freight forwarding reality is not about replacing China. It’s about building resilience, optionality, and smarter logistics networks. For freight forwarders, this moment is defining. Those who evolve into multi-origin specialists, trade lane advisors, and compliance-aware operators will shape the next decade of global logistics. Those who don’t will be left managing shrinking volumes on outdated routes.