China fair advances global service trade Partnerships deepen as five-day gathering yields concrete gains 2026-09-14    HU YUYAN

Visitors explore Beijing's Shougang Park during the 2026 China International Fair for Trade in Services held from Wednesday through Sunday.

A Norwegian exhibitor (first from right) speaks with visitors at the pavilion of Norway during CIFTIS 2026.

The curtain fell on the 2026 China International Fair for Trade in Services at Beijing's Shougang Park on Sunday, highlighting China's commitment to high-quality opening-up and injecting energy into the recovery of the global economy.

Ninety countries, regions and international organizations hosted exhibitions or events. More than 1,830 companies set up physical exhibitions, while over 5,300 companies participated online. They showcased new technologies and solutions in fields such as information and communications technology, financial technology, digital healthcare, smart education and energy conservation, among others.

Nearly 100 conferences and forums, along with over 100 promotional and networking events, were held at CIFTIS 2026. As of noon on Sunday, the core area of the fair at Shougang Park recorded nearly 420,000 visits, marking a year-on-year increase of 36.3 percent.

One of the highlights of this year's fair was the emphasis on enabling Chinese companies to expand their global footprint. A roadshow area and multiple zones were set up to offer one-stop solutions for companies seeking to venture overseas. Another highlight was the "China Services" brand, which gained greater visibility during the fair.

More than 1,200 outcomes across seven categories were featured during CIFTIS 2026. Over 100 companies and organizations unveiled their new technologies, products and services during the event.

Many of these new achievements were making their debut either in China or globally and spanned diverse fields such as healthcare, artificial intelligence, financial services, education and environmental protection.

The delegation from Norway, the guest country of honor, signed six cooperation agreements with Chinese enterprises and institutions. The "Invest in Beijing" promotional event secured 36 key project contracts on-site, covering 12 sectors, including modern services.

On Thursday, the Global Alliance for Trade in Services released the 2026 Index Report on the Digital and Intelligent Development Level of Global Trade in Services. It defines "digital and intelligent trade in services" for the first time and proposes an evaluation framework based on infrastructure, resources, the service industry, trade in services and service governance.

The next day, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development unveiled a report titled "Measuring Servicification and Impacts of Services Trade and Policy". Luigi Maria Vignali, Italy's permanent representative to the United Nations Office at Geneva, praised the report for providing practical tools to make better use of data, which is crucial for identifying opportunities for trade partnerships.

International participants widely praised CIFTIS for fostering connectivity and creating opportunities. Henning Kristoffersen, commercial counselor at the Norwegian embassy in China, described CIFTIS as an outstanding platform. More than 20 Norwegian companies attended the fair this year to seek opportunities in China, he added.

Daim Darab Siddiqui of Pakistan's Export Processing Zones Authority highlighted the fair's tangible impact. "CIFTIS promotes meaningful collaboration between the governments of Pakistan and China, offering direct exposure to the infrastructure our industries require," Siddiqui was quoted by Independent News Pakistan as saying. He added that the value of the fair lies in actionable industrial facilitation rather than abstract diplomacy.