It's the Lunar new year holiday season in Asia which will kick off on Valentine's Day. That's why cross-border e-commerce is hitting a fever pitch as Chinese are buying foods and gifts from abroad. Xia Cheng finds out what sells the most.

This year's Chinese new year gets a romantic twist, Valentine's Day falls just a day before the lunar new year's eve.

That gives Chinese online shoppers double the excuse to go on a buying spree.

What about some fresh imported lobsters for a dinner for two on valentine's day or the big feast on new year's eve?

HUANG ZHEN DEP. MANAGER, BEIJING CAPITAL AIRPORT "Daily fresh produce imports last week have surged 30 percent from a year ago. In January, total fresh produce imports jumped 15 percent from a year ago."

Less red tape for custom clearance allows Chinese holiday makers to put in last minute orders.

On top of fresh produce, orders for imported valentine's day gifts like chocolates, toys and luxury goods, have at least doubled.

DAO LU SHANGHAI WEISHENG CUSTOMS CLEARANCE SERVICES "Usually we handle 200 orders per day for imported chocolate, but last week there were about 600 orders per day. Orders for toys doubled from 1000 orders per day to 2000."

However, this year's Chinese new year holiday is later than last year. That means the surge in online orders ahead of the new year is seasonally distorted. But if you look at the data for 2017, Chinese consumers bought triple the value of imported goods online. That shows an increasing awareness of quality lifestyle in China, which will continue to fuel the growth of online economy whether it's the holiday season or not.