As the first five-year plan in the field of cold chain logistics in China, this plan is the first time to make an all-round and systematic deployment for the construction of a modern cold chain logistics system from the strategic level of building a new development pattern,cold chain and put forward a series of pragmatic, operable and implementable specific initiatives, which is of great significance as a "milestone".

As a kind of professional logistics, cold chain logistics plays a special role in the process of economic transformation and upgrading in China.

Cold chain logistics is a "booster" for farmers to increase income and reduce waste. With the steady progress of rural revitalization, especially the emergence of a series of new forms of business and the implementation of new measures,cold warehouse such as e-commerce to the countryside and the entry of famous and high-quality agricultural products into the city, it has broadened the way for farmers to increase their income. However, due to the characteristics of agricultural products themselves, there are high requirements on the time and transportation conditions from the ground to the table. In the past, due to the underdevelopment of cold chain logistics in China, a large number of agricultural products were transported by conventional transportation methods, which led to high losses while the quality, appearance and freshness of agricultural products were easily damaged, reducing the added value of agricultural products and affecting the income of farmers. Cold chain logistics utilizes temperature control, preservation and other technological processes and facilities and equipment such as cold storage, refrigerated trucks, refrigerated boxes, etc., to ensure that cold chain products are always in the prescribed temperature environment during the whole process of preliminary processing, storage, transportation, circulation and processing, sales and distribution, which not only reduces losses but also ensures the freshness of agricultural products. The help of cold chain logistics enables agricultural products to be transported to sell well, providing fresher ingredients for the majority of consumers while creating favorable conditions for farmers to increase their income.

Cold chain logistics is the "umbrella" to improve the quality and safety of fresh agricultural products. With the improvement of people's living standard, the demand for agricultural products is increasing and diversifying. Meat, fruits, vegetables, aquatic products, dairy products, frozen food and other fresh food have different requirements for fresh transportation and storage, which may lead to contamination and damage or even corruption and deterioration of the goods in the process of logistics, thus affecting the food safety and health of consumers. Cold chain logistics, through standardized operation process and whole process monitoring, can detect problems and eliminate hidden dangers in time, protect consumers' health and provide additional guarantee for food safety.

Cold chain logistics is an important guarantee to improve the quality control capability of the whole process of vaccines and other pharmaceutical products. With the spread of the new crown pneumonia epidemic around the world, the future trend of the epidemic is still uncertain, as the epidemic prevention and control of important materials such as vaccines and other pharmaceutical products is crucial, and its storage and transportation and other links can not be separated from the support of cold chain logistics. Cold chain logistics, as a professional logistics, provides the necessary conditions for medical materials that need to be stored and transported under low-temperature conditions.

The Plan proposes that by 2025, a cold-chain logistics network linking production and marketing areas, covering cities and villages, and connecting domestic and international markets will be initially formed, and a cold-chain logistics system that conforms to China's national conditions and characteristics of the industrial structure, and adapts to the needs of economic and social development will be basically built. This will significantly improve the ability and efficiency of regulating the supply and demand of agricultural products across seasons and supporting the circulation of cold-chain products across regions, and enhance the support and guarantee for the national economy and social development.

Logistics is the bloodline of the economy and an important link in the national economic cycle. The status and role of cold chain logistics in the double cycle cannot be underestimated and is very important. The introduction and implementation of the Plan will further optimize the policy environment, accelerate the pace of high-quality development of cold-chain logistics, improve the quality of life of urban and rural residents, and better meet the growing needs of the people for a better life.