The 2025 China International Fair for Trade in Services (CIFTIS), currently underway in Beijing, is highlighting China’s growing role as a hub for open trade, innovation, and sustainable cooperation. With nearly 2,000 companies participating, including around 500 Fortune 500 and industry leaders, the event demonstrates how China is creating opportunities for international businesses while driving its own digital and green transformation.
This year’s fair, themed “Embrace Intelligent Technologies, Empower Trade in Services”, features pavilions from 85 countries and organisations. Exhibitors range from multinationals such as Walmart, AstraZeneca, and KPMG to smaller niche firms offering everything from Norwegian health supplements and Georgian wines to Japanese outdoor equipment. For many, the Chinese market’s openness, provided quality standards are met, is a key attraction.
International representatives praised this openness. Lucia Skvareninova, Economic Counsellor at Slovakia’s embassy in Beijing, said policy changes such as visa-free entry have encouraged more entrepreneurs to explore opportunities, particularly in zones like Hainan. Norwegian companies highlighted China’s fast-growing middle class as a driver of demand for health and maritime products, while Irish and Georgian businesses pointed to strong consumer interest in premium beverages.
Beyond trade, CIFTIS also underscores innovation. At the Environmental Services Pavilion, Beijing’s Institute of Water Science and Technology unveiled unmanned boats that clean rivers autonomously, an AI-powered “stethoscope” for pipeline leaks, and a digital twin water dispatching system. These advances are reshaping urban water management and offering solutions for Belt and Road partner countries.
The fair also strengthened multilateral engagement, with Ireland, Germany’s North Rhine-Westphalia, and Australia showcasing collaborations in education, energy, biomedicine, and tourism. Experts have noted that China’s leadership in initiatives such as the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) is enhancing connectivity, service trade, and long-term cooperation.
By combining inclusivity, technology, and cultural exchange, CIFTIS 2025 reinforces China’s message that its market remains open and competitive, offering global businesses a platform for sustainable growth.
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