On December 14, the first session of the Post-2023 CIFTIS Group Interview series themed "Growing Together with CIFTIS" was held in Beijing. The event was jointly planned and organized by the Beijing International Trade in Services Center and the Beijing Capital Group Exhibitions & Events. The series aim to summarize the experience of organizing the fair, foster deeper interactions and trade connections among participants, and expand the influence of the CIFTIS.
The kickoff event spotlighted the professional services sector. Representatives from CCPIT Commercial Sub-council, PwC China, KPMG China, Deloitte China, CPA Australia, Eclicktech, and Ernst & Young China exchanged their insights with the media on the site, sharing stories about how they have been growing together with CIFTIS.
Zhou Ling, deputy director-general of Beijing International Trade in Services Center, attended and addressed the event. She stated that service trade and services have emerged as a crucial sector and indispensable force that are shaping the new landscape of common prosperity across the globe. China's service trade has sustained a sound growth trend for many years, demonstrating robust resilience and fueling economic progress. CIFTIS is a large-scale exhibition and trading platform dedicated to trade in services. This comprehensive, state-level event with a global reach is co-hosted by the Ministry of Commerce of PRC and the People's Government of Beijing Municipality. Since 2012, CIFTIS and its predecessor Beijing Fair have attracted more than 900,000 attendees and exhibitors and over 800 overseas business associations and institutions from 197 countries and regions.
Zhou Ling gave an overall review of the 2023 CIFTIS and its distinct features. The 2023 CIFTIS took place in Beijing from September 2 to September 6. Chinese President Xi Jinping addressed the Global Trade in Services Summit via video. This year's CIFTIS featured 155,000 square meters of exhibitions and displays and more than 200 conferences. More than 2,400 enterprises participated in the trade fair onsite, and 6,700 enterprises online. The fair attracted nearly 300,000 attendees and exhibitors, yielding more than 1,100 achievements that will benefit the whole world. The fair saw increased international participation, higher-level organizers and attendees, further highlighted transaction function, and intensive and positive reports.
Zhou Ling announced that the preparatory work for the 2024 edition has already been underway, with continuous efforts to explore new fair organization approaches and patterns through enriching its contents, bolstering market operations, refining services, and highlighting transaction and trade matching functions, thereby facilitating the achievement of more pragmatic cooperation results.
From the perspectives of "service industry standardization", "sustainable development", and "digital and intelligent technology empowerment", the attending representatives shared the wonderful moments of their participation in the 2023 CIFTIS and their fervent anticipation for the 2024 edition.
Yao Xin, secretary-general of the CCPIT Commercial Sub-council, talked about the undertakings and achievements the sub-council has made at The 7th China Forum on Standardization of Trade in Services held during the CIFTIS. He advocated that regarding international standardization in the realm of digitalization and sustainable development, Chinese approaches can make greater contributions to the world.
Faye Ji, partner at PwC China Government Affairs, looked back at PwC's five-year streak of participating in the CIFTIS. She said that PwC has not only borne witness to the CIFTIS' escalating grandeur, but has also experienced a role change from the fair's participant and builder to its contributor.
Michael Jiang, vice chair of KPMG China, shared the major report outcomes unveiled during the CIFTIS, and shed light on exciting daily themed activities.
Ma Feijun, partner at Deloitte China, outlined Deloitte China's participation and achievements during the 2023 CIFTIS. During this year's CIFTIS, Deloitte held 17 themed live streaming events, attracting over 50,000 online spectators. Its five results were included in the CIFTIS's achievements exhibition. Ma further elaborated on the impact and significance of Deloitte's "Nike Recycle-A-Shoe PMO Service" case, which was presented with the "Demonstration Cases: Green Development" award.
Mavis Meng, chief representative of CPA Australia Beijing Representative Office, expressed that the CPA Australia feels honored to help organize the 2024 CIFTIS special event in Australia, allowing Australian businesses and professionals from all walks of life to gain insight into and understand the fair. She is convinced that the 2024 CIFTIS will provide more opportunities and a broader platform for the deepening and expansion of China-Australia service trade relations.
Ding Jiale, director of Brand PR at Eclicktech, unfolded wonderful cases of Eclicktech, an international intelligent marketing service provider, leveraging cutting-edge digital marketing technology to aid Chinese businesses in tapping their global potential.
Judy Li, partner of Climate Change and Sustainability Services, Financial Services, Greater China, and director of ESG Management Office, Greater China Ernst & Young, highlighted ESG Digital Solution Series - Carbon Calculator app, which debuted at the 2023 CIFTIS. As she explained, this is the industry's first enterprise-grade digital tool that extends "carbon peaking and carbon neutrality" management to mobile platforms, enabling businesses and individuals to maintain their own carbon accounts, thereby digitally fueling green, high-quality development.
The representatives unanimously agreed that the CIFTIS has built a new bridge for global exhibitors to share business opportunities and promote economic growth, and carved out fresh avenues for famous individuals from the global political, business, academic, and research sectors to deliberate on service trade hotspots, probe into sustainable development, and pursue win-win cooperation. It has also created new opportunities for the integrated development of "Chinese Services" within the global economic framework. They are looking forward to and stand ready to actively join the 2024 CIFTIS where they can expand cooperation in professional services, promote exchanges in professional fields, and contribute their wisdom and strength to global economic and social development.
● China International Fair for Trade in Services (CIFTIS) is co-hosted by the Ministry of Commerce of the People’s Republic of China and the People’s Government of Beijing Municipality.
● CIFTIS is the first state-level global comprehensive fair for trade in services, serving as an exhibition window, communication platform and cooperation bridge for the service industry and trade in services.
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