BEIJING: As the 2022 China International Fair for Trade in Services (CIFTIS) kicked off Wednesday in Beijing, the country has shown the world its unwavering commitment to wider opening-up in the services trade sector.
Themed “Cooperate for Better Development, Innovate for a Greener Future,” the 2022 CIFTIS includes a global services trade summit, exhibitions, forums, new product and technology releases, business promotions and discussions, and supporting activities.
While delivering a keynote speech at the Summit of 2022 CIFTIS Wednesday, Chinese Vice Premier Han Zheng called for efforts to promote the healthy and sustainable development of services trade to make a greater contribution to the recovery of the global economy.
China will build a high-standard opening-up system for the services industry and establish a national demonstration zone for services trade innovation, he said.
Han also pledged to support regions, including Beijing, in piloting the cross-border data flows and creating benchmark cities in the digital economy worldwide.
The six-day event this year features greater internationalization, with the participation of over 2,400 companies, including more than 400 Global Fortune 500 companies and industry-leading enterprises. The exhibition area increased by 20 percent from last year to reach 152,000 square meters.
“More than 100 companies and institutions will release their achievements at this year’s CIFTIS, injecting new impetus and vitality into the development of the services trade sector,” said Wang Dongtang, an official with the Ministry of Commerce (MOC).
“CIFTIS shows the world China’s determination to participate in international services trade, its enthusiasm to embrace economic globalization and win-win cooperation, and the resilience and vitality of China’s economy to overseas trading partners,” said Zhu Dongfang, president of Asia Digital Group.
As a vivid epitome of the country’s exploration of high-level opening-up, Beijing has been accelerating the development of the city’s “two zones” — the pilot free trade zone and the national comprehensive demonstration zone for expanding opening-up in the services sector.
Over the past two years, the Chinese capital has introduced more than 100 pioneering or breakthrough policies related to the “two zones” and landed over 100 landmark projects and functional platforms. –Agencies
