Amid the crisp, clear skies of a golden autumn in Beijing, the China International Fair for Trade in Services (CIFTIS) 2026 officially opened. As the largest comprehensive exhibition in the global trade in services sector, CIFTIS and the China International Fair for Investment and Trade (CIFIT) complement each other from the north and the south, creating a dynamic synergy between trade in services and investment. Together, they demonstrate once again China's firm resolve to share development opportunities with the world and steer economic globalization toward greater openness and inclusiveness.
Themed "Global Services, Shared Prosperity," this year's CIFTIS features exhibitions and conferences hosted by approximately 90 countries and international organizations. It has attracted over 1,800 companies showcasing their offerings on-site, including 473 Fortune Global 500 companies and industry leaders. Focusing on the frontiers of the digital economy and the opening-up of modern trade in services, the fair comprehensively showcases the latest achievements and development trends in global trade in services, building a bridge for international exchange and cooperation. Together, these two major events translate "opening-up" into actionable rules, signable projects, and exportable services, bringing to life China's comprehensive, multi-tiered, and wide-ranging opening-up landscape in a tangible and vibrant manner.
For the first time, the fair has established a "China Services" Zone in the core area, providing a dedicated showcase for the innovative achievements of China's trade in services. Amid the current wave of digital transformation, AI technologies are profoundly reshaping the forms and models of trade in services. Notably, nearly 40% of the cases in this zone are centered on core technologies such as AI, large language models, and intelligent agents, fully demonstrating China's robust strength and innovative vitality in the digital services sector. The exhibition of these cutting-edge technologies offers global attendees and business partners an excellent window to gain insights into the future direction of trade in services, marking the moment when "China Services" steps out from the shadow of "Made in China" and takes center stage as a major force in global trade in services.
To help Chinese enterprises better participate in international competition, the fair has set up "Going Global Services" zones in multiple thematic exhibitions for the first time. As Chinese companies accelerate their globalization, the demand for professional overseas expansion services is growing steadily. High-quality services in digital services, smart healthcare, cross-border finance, and cultural, tourism, and creative industries are on concentrated display, providing end-to-end, professional support for enterprises going global. Smart healthcare is helping Chinese medical technologies and standards reach the world; cross-border finance is providing enterprises with efficient fund settlement and risk management solutions; and the cultural, tourism, and creative sectors are promoting the brilliance of fine traditional Chinese culture on the international stage. The establishment of these zones has built a comprehensive, multi-tiered ecosystem for service export, precisely addressing the pain points and challenges enterprises face in cross-border operations.
The prosperity of CIFTIS is a microcosm of the high-quality development of China's trade in services. Data shows that in the first half of 2026, China's total imports and exports of services reached 3.8 trillion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 8.3%, with service exports surging by 17.6%. Behind these impressive achievements lies China's continuous promotion of high-standard opening-up and deepening of innovation and development in trade in services. The newly revised Foreign Trade Law of the People's Republic of China has officially come into effect, providing a more solid legal foundation for cross-border trade in services, digital trade, and green trade, and further stimulating market vitality.
Facing the headwinds of de-globalization brought about by unilateralism and protectionism, China remains committed to keeping its doors wide open, using CIFTIS as an opportunity to build consensus on development. Looking ahead, China will unswervingly expand its high-standard opening-up, harnessing the power of cooperation, pooling the momentum of innovation, and delivering the benefits of shared prosperity through opening-up. It will ensure that the vision of "Global Services, Shared Prosperity" takes deep root, continuously injecting certainty, stability, and positive energy into a turbulent and changing world, and driving global trade in services toward a more prosperous future.