2024 CIFTIS Reception successfully held

Sima Hong, in her address, mentioned that the 2024 CIFTIS is scheduled to take place in Beijing from September 12 to 16. Themed "Global Services, Shared Prosperity", this year's CIFTIS will lay greater emphasis on its global vision, professionalism, and market orientation as well as its role as a trade facilitator. It will comprise exhibitions and displays, promotional business talks, achievements release, and supporting events. France, as the guest country of honor of the 2024 CIFTIS, will set up a France Pavilion and host a range of activities in the field of service trade such as sports, medical treatment, and investment. The World Meteorological Organization (WMO), as a new international partner of CIFTIS, will establish a dedicated booth in 2024 to showcase the application of global intelligent weather forecasting technology and global climate monitoring technology. It will also hold the Climate Economy Summit to discuss the impact of climate change on human health, aligning with the National Climate Change Adaptation Strategy 2035 and the Healthy China Initiative.

Sheng Qiuping emphasized in his address that in this year the CIFTIS will continue to serve as a crucial platform for China to expand opening-up, deepen cooperation and pioneer innovation. Firstly, we will pursue greater opening-up and progress to convey China's firm determination to expand opening-up to the world. This involves showcasing the latest achievements in expanding the opening-up of services sector and trade in services, and engaging in more exchanges and discussions on standards and rules with other countries. Secondly, we will further expand mutually beneficial cooperation. This includes increasing international cooperation in emerging fields such as artificial intelligence, digital economy, and green development, strengthening targeted coordination of activities, and promoting the convergence of global resource factors. Lastly, we will further strengthen innovation-driven development. This involves showcasing the top-tech achievements and application scenarios in various fields, highlighting the development of new quality productive forces, ensuring the fruits of innovation are shared by all, thus establishing the CIFTIS as the premier showcase for the latest accomplishments in global trade in services and a trendsetter for industry innovation and development.

In April 2023, General Secretary Xi Jinping met with French President Emmanuel Macron during his state visit to China. Both leaders issued a joint statement expressing France's willingness to attend the 2024 CIFTIS as the guest country of honor. The year 2024 marks the 60th anniversary of the establishment of China-France diplomatic ties, and it is also the China-France Year of Culture and Tourism. MyriamPavageau stated in her address that both sides will take this as an opportunity to hold over 300 cultural events, fully showcasing the diversity and huge potential of the services economy. France's role as the guest country of honor of the 2024 CIFTIS acknowledges the professionalism and creativity of its services sector. Given this, France will collaborate closely with the hosts, presenting a rich variety of activities through its national exhibition group for the fair.

During the recommendation, Piao Xuedong stressed that the 2024 CIFTIS will focus on the following aspects: first, highlight new quality productive forces and showcase the future development trend of the industry. Through physical displays and case studies, the fair will highlight new quality productive forces, the latest achievements and application scenarios in various areas of service trade, the whole industrial chain, as well as the integration of service trade with the modern services sector, high-end manufacturing and agriculture. Second, emphasize the essence of trade and underline the role of CIFTIS as an international exchange platform. At this year's CIFTIS, foreign government agencies and embassies in China as well as international organizations will be invited to introduce their development policies, advantages and cooperative projects, and promote investment and trade cooperation among countries. In addition, key enterprises and industry institutions such as business associations at home and abroad will be invited to hold special promotional activities and other events such as demand release, project matching, signing and exchange activities, in an effort to boost the import and export of high-quality services and investment cooperation. Third, strengthen publicity and continue to organize the "CIFTIS-Never-End" Series. Apart from the five-day fair, regular activities will be organized, including pre-CIFTIS matchmaking and post-CIFTIS achievements release.

The year 2024 marks the 75^th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China. It is also a crucial year for implementing the 14^th Five-Year Plan. Therefore, the success of the 2024 CIFTIS is of great significance. Sheng Qiuping stated that China is advancing Chinese modernization on all fronts through high-quality development, and will continue to leverage the role of CIFTIS as a bridge to share with other countries the opportunities arising from the opening-up and development of China's trade in services. This will help in building consensus and synergy for the advancement of global services sector and trade in services. Sima Hong affirmed that Beijing, as the host city, will spare no effort to organize the CIFTIS at a high level, providing high-quality services to guests, attendees and exhibitors from across the globe. At the same time, it will invite a wide range of countries, regions, international organizations, and institutions and well-known enterprises at home and abroad to discuss cooperation at this year's CIFTIS, share opportunities from the development of service trade, and work together for the prosperity of global services.

Ai Yinfang, deputy director-general of China International Center for Economic and Technical Exchanges, chaired the reception, whichwitnessed a gathering of nearly 250 attendees, comprising diplomatic envoys to China and representatives from over 80 countries and international organizations spanning Asia, Africa, Europe, the Americas, and Oceania. Officials from the Chinese Ministry of Commerce, relevant departments of Beijing, and media representatives were also present at the reception.

● 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.