Founded in 1999, Alibaba International Station is the first business unit of Alibaba Group. Alibaba International Station has become the main platform for promoting the digitalization of foreign trade. It has served more than 26 million active corporate buyers in more than 200 countries and regions. It displays and promotes suppliers' companies and products to overseas buyers, thereby obtaining trade opportunities and orders. It is one of the preferred online platforms for export companies to expand international trade.

1688 is now the flagship business of Alibaba Group and is China's leading domestic trade e-commerce platform for small enterprises. As a subsidiary of Alibaba Group, 1688 represents the interests of enterprises in the CBBS e-commerce system, provides business information and convenient and secure online transactions for tens of millions of buyers and suppliers around the world, and is also a community for merchants to make friends and interact with each other in real life.

1688 focuses on wholesale and procurement business, improves customer experience through professional operations, and comprehensively optimizes the business model of corporate e-commerce.

1688 has covered 16 major industries including raw materials, industrial products, clothing and accessories, household goods, small commodities, etc., providing a series of supply services from raw material procurement - production and processing - spot wholesale.