China and ASEAN are mutually largest trading partner. China and ASEAN have continuously deepened exchanges and cooperation in trade in services via CIFTIS. At the "Beijing-ASEAN Investment Cooperation Day" held on April 13, Liang Jingyuan, Executive Deputy Director of Beijing International Trade in Services Center, introduced that up to now, the Philippine Department of Tourism (PDOT), Malaysia Negeri Sarawak Ministry of International Trade and Industry, Industrialization Hub and Enterprise Development Department, Cambodia-China Comprehensive Investment and Development Pilot Zone, Indonesia Trade Center, Lao National Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Singapore-China Business Association and other institutions have preliminarily confirmed that they will hold online and offline exhibitions at the 2021 CIFTIS to fully showcase the advantageous fields and featured products of ASEAN countries in trade in services.
The promotion activity before the 2021 CIFTIS is progressing steadily as scheduled. In January, the first online promotion conference with the theme of "CIFTIS Fuels New Development of Digital Trade" in 2021 was held. In February, Sino-Australia Industrial Park Limited, Beijing Chamber of Commerce in Thailand and other institutions were invited to hold special events on the digital platform and build online booths. Representatives of Australia, Thailand and other institutions in China and responsible persons of relevant enterprises were invited to carry out online investment promotion, and more than 100 domestic and foreign guests, professional visitors and media reporters attended the conference online. In March, Beijing People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries and other units were invited to hold an online promotion meeting on epidemic prevention and anti-epidemic exports, with more than 70 foreign friends and business representatives from 29 countries on five continents attending the meeting. In April, with the opportunity of "Beijing-ASEAN Investment Cooperation Day", we once again promote the CIFTIS at home and abroad.
CIFTIS, the first global comprehensive fair for trade in services and the leading fair for trade in services in China, is one of the three major Chinese convention & exhibition platforms for China’s opening-up along with CIIE and China Import and Export Fair. Since 2012, CIFTIS has successively hosted seven successful events, with an aggregate exhibition area of 640,900 square meters, 1,102 forums, conferences and events in total. It has by far attracted over 1.4 million visitors from 188 countries/regions and over 10,000 enterprise exhibitors, and has made positive contributions to the deepening of international exchange and cooperation in trade in services as well as the development of global service economy.
Liang Jingyuan said that the institutions of ASEAN countries actively participated in previous sessions of CIFTIS. At the previous CIFTIS events, the institutions of ASEAN countries have concluded a number of contracts with Chinese enterprises, vigorously advancing the cooperation in trade in services between the two sides.
According to Liang, the 2021 CIFTIS will be held at in Beijing in early September this year, with China National Convention Center and Shougang Industrial Park as the holding venues. The 2021 CIFTIS will focus on industry hot topics and development trends, and highlight digital economy and digital trade. It is planned to set up 8 themes, covering services related to telecommunication, computer and information, finance, culture and tourism, education, sports, supply chain and business, engineering consulting and construction as well as health and hygiene. And 6 activities consisting of Global Trade in Services Summit, forums and conferences, exhibitions, promotional business talks, achievement announcement and other peripheral events are planned to be held. The exhibition will occupy an area of about 130,000 square meters, and over 100 forums and conferences, promotional business talks and other events will be held. In addition, business investigation, investment promotion, cultural experience and other supporting activities will be arranged for exhibitors during this CIFTIS.
"We welcome and sincerely invite ASEAN countries, institutions and enterprises to actively participate in the 2021 CIFTIS, and carry out exhibition and promotion, business talks in trade in services in a deep-going way." Said Liang.
